


Our Love is God

by ChariKard



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro Redemption, M/M, My boy deserves it, Obligatory Heathers References, Ryuji is Skeptical, Sae is worried, Shido is definitely father of the year, Spoilers, and Akira/Ren fixes it all, for pretty much the whole game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-02-28 02:17:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13261521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChariKard/pseuds/ChariKard
Summary: I am damaged, far too damaged, but you're not beyond repair.Stick around here, make things better, ‘cause you beat me fair and square.Hope you’ll miss me, wish you'd kiss me, then you'd know I worship you.I’ll trade my life for yours.And once I disappear, clean up the mess down here...Say ‘Hi’ to God





	1. Dead Girl Walking

**Author's Note:**

> Like the tag says - *Spoilers* - so keep that in mind while going ahead.
> 
> When I played, and eventually finished, Persona 5 I really enjoyed Akechi's character for many reasons. So much so, in fact, that when it finally came to his fight and eventual sacrifice, I was genuinely saddened, teary-eyed, at a loss for words. It was a tragic end to a tragic character. But I wasn't completely okay with this end, my emotions made it so that I was hopeful that he wasn't dead, that he managed to survive the ordeal. Then the conclusion to the game...and he never showed up again.  
> This is what made me write this story. The idea that Goro Akechi could finally get the redemption he was so close to achieving before his death. The hope that he'll be new, that he would be willing to better himself. That the only person he could trust would be there for him when he needed it the most.
> 
> *Edit* My thanks go to the user c-a-f for giving me useful information that improves this whole narrative AND makes it more realistic. (If you keep this up I might have to add you as co-creator)

* * *

 

He awoke to the sound of a shout.

“Code blue!” the female voice came, piercing his eardrums. The shrillness of the scream startled him. He jumped, attempting to sit up but doing so strained his muscles.

He quickly gauged his surroundings. He was currently lying in a bed wearing what was assumed to be a hospital gown, his lower half covered by a hospital-supplied blanket. His bed was facing a wall, decorated with nothing but a closed door and a television screen, displaying the local news. On his left was a dresser and a wheeled tray table, empty except for a forgotten clipboard. Behind that was a window only just above the tops of most buildings, enough to look over them and see a few blocks down. It was the only source of light at the moment, brightening the room with a soft afternoon glow. To his left was a metal stand that dangled an IV bag, a tube from it connected to him in the crook of his arm, the back of his elbow. There was also a machine, which measured his vitals via the small wires stuck to his chest.

A rush of people passed by the open doorway which was opposite the window. His brain was still in the throes of semi-consciousness which made it difficult to process the commotion clearly. Everything was a haze, obscured by his own mental capacity, or lack thereof. He groaned, trying to push himself up the bed, but he was unable. His arms shook at any movement he made. He didn't remember being so weak. He looked at his arm to assess himself and was nearly about to shout.

He never was the most muscular person, but he still looked healthy enough to lift a few heavy boxes. He thought it was too much work to develop the kind of body anyway, so he was happy being with his toned, yet skinny, figure. But this was a completely different kind of thin. His muscles were almost non existent. His skin clung tightly to his bones, he was practically skeletal.

Internally he was horrified, but he was good at masking his emotions. Any perception someone would have based purely on his outward appearance was usually incorrect. But he couldn't lie to himself, no one can do that. His breathing picked up in a nervous, almost panicked, pace.

He did his best not to have an attack, but it was getting difficult. ‘ _Just...try and move anything_ ,’ his brain pleaded. He attempted to raise his arm and, while he couldn't lift it up farther than a few inches, he was able to move it. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth. He did the same with his other arm, the one with the tube sticking from it, to the same effect.

Next he tried his legs. He couldn't see them from underneath the blanket, and even if he tried to remove it he somehow knew that would be difficult, if not impossible. He strained himself, his face contorting slightly as he tried moving them. He did see his toes poke out higher than before, but it wasn't more than a centimeter or two. He exhaled, catching his breath from the slight exertion that seemed almost too much for him. He settled for wiggling both sets of toes as opposed to trying to lift the other leg.

‘ _What is going on? Why can't I move? Where am I?’_ These thoughts wandered back and forth through his mind. He couldn't answer any of them, he had to accept he didn't have the answers yet. He didn't like that idea.

‘ _At least...look around, try and figure this stuff out._ ’ He inhaled deeply and examined the scene more closely, trying his best to recall how he had made it into the hospital, but to no avail. No memories of that specific event came to him and there was a lack of clues anywhere in the room. He hadn't lost his memory, however. He could vividly recall the events that transpired a few...hours ago? He thought that was the case at least. He couldn't have been lying there for much longer than that, right? The fact that his body ached even after the few movements he made while in the bed made that seem less and less likely however.

That was a problem, he had no way of being sure that was the case. But there was one thing he was sure of, he could find something, a piece of evidence, a clue, if he could just get himself out of bed and searching, like the ace detective he...was.  
He slowly attempted to pull the blanket off himself. His hand gripped the hem of the blanket, doing their best to get a firm hold. A few seconds and they were in their needed position. Next was trying to pull the blanket over his body.

With his hold on the fabric he tried to pull it towards his left side, but his hand wouldn't go high enough to do so, add onto the fact it shook in exhaustion. After a minute of this shaky movement, he dropped his arm, breathing out in annoyance. ‘ _It shouldn't be this hard,’_ his brain angrily chided him. ‘ _Did he seriously beat you so senseless that you lost all your good motor function?_ ’ He smirked, reminiscing on his most fresh memories. Despite how violent and painful they were, they still made him happy. It wasn't the horribleness itself that produced these feelings, it was the person who was prominent in all of them.

‘ _No time for those thoughts, find some clues, some hints, anything._ ’ He tilted his head to the left slightly. It wasn't as difficult as all his other movements had been, although he couldn't completely move it to his side. There, on the far end of the dresser were his shoes, black and tattered as if he had trudged through a marsh for days on end. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. He knew exactly why they looked the way they did.

He heaved a sigh and was about to turn his head in the other direction when a small knock came from the doorway.

“Akechi,” a baritone voice sounded, “It’s time for your-” There was a stunned silence, which caused the boy currently on the bed to tilt his head towards the man who just entered.

“Yes? What is it?” His voice was raspy, dry. He didn't notice until his attempt to speak, which prompted him to clear his throat.

“I...I just didn't expect you to be conscious yet...” The doctor chuckled, light and genuine. “That is so wonderful!”

Akechi cleared his throat once more, “Really? I...can't even move my body. Is that something to be happy about?” He glowered at the doctor for a brief second, not long enough for him to notice. He couldn't let his facade slip, not anymore.

The doctor made his way towards the detective, his dark sympathetic eyes soothing. He sighed, “That isn't why I’m happy. You've been unconscious for around two months now and we weren't sure when-””

The younger male tilted his head in confusion and interrupted him, “Months...you said months?”

The doctor inhaled sharply, as if he realized he let some information out he wasn't supposed to, “Y-yes," he said with a nod. "Sorry, I was supposed to ease you into that when you woke up.” There was a brief silence, quickly filled by the medical professional. “Now I know this might be strange but-”

“Months!” a sudden burst of emotion came from him. The outburst may have also irritated his throat, as he began coughing uncontrollably. The doctor exited the room for a second, speed walking, and returned with a small plastic cup containing a clear liquid, most likely water. Akechi tried grabbing a hold of it but winced as his aches went through his arm. The doctor seemed aware of this and held the cup for the boy, allowing him to slowly injest all of the fluid. He let out a sigh of satisfaction once the cup was empty, “Thank you, and...sorry for the yelling, I’ll do my best to keep myself contained.”

“It’s quite alright,” the medical professional smiled as he sat down on the bed by his patient’s legs, “This is a very confusing time for you, I'm sure. But let me tell you, we here at this hospital are here to help in anyway we can. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask either me or the nurses.”

Akechi stared at the doctor for a few seconds. He very rarely heard such genuine empathy come from anyone, which didn't surprise him. It was part of the job description of a doctor, after all. But the way he sounded, the way he articulated, sounded familiar. He couldn't quite place his finger on what exactly but he knew who the doctor reminded him of. Akira Kurusu, and to a lesser extent the other Phantom Thieves. What was it that they had in common?

“Well, if you won't be needing anything at the moment. the call button is right over there,” he said, pointing the the small button just in reach of his left hand. The lab coat clad man was about to get up from his seated position when Akechi stopped him by speaking.

“I do actually have a question, Doctor...” he looked on the doctor’s coat for a name tag and just as he found one, the professional responded.

“Doctor Hisakawa.”

“Yes, well...I was wondering...how did I get here exactly? I can't seem to recall what happened...” he lied, but it was more of a half truth. He knew that he was supposed to be dead, that was the point of sacrificing yourself, but how did that lead to him being strapped to an EKG and being given fluids through a tube?

Dr. Hisakawa looked solemn. “You were found just outside the Diet building. According to the reports, you're clothes were tattered, you weren't conscious, barely breathing, and there was a wound on your neck. A gunshot.”

Akechi wanted to grab at his neck, to feel the spot he most likely had been shot. He couldn't even do that. Based off the fact that he couldn't feel a bandage, he assumed it was healed, but there was no way to be sure. “When you got to the hospital, you were in critical condition, but were treatable.” Hisakawa chuckled, “The worst part of that day was probably trying to keep the police out of the way. It’s not everyday they get a case as interesting as yours.”

The long-haired boy feigned a smile. “I...I can't believe I'm alive right now.” His fake smile slowly turned into a real one, which in turn started morphing into a pained one, as the young detective did his best to hold back tears. Unfortunately, the build-up of emotions was too much, and he began sobbing uncontrollably. He tried to use his hands to cover his tears, but he was unable to.

His doctor placed his hand on Akechi’s leg doing his best at soothing him. The tears dripped down his face landing on his gown, creating a wet spot. Everytime he tried breathing through the tears the muscles in is back and abdomen throbbed. He knew if he didn't stop crying he would probably hurt himself, but he couldn't stop. “I...I'm not...supposed to be alive...” his voice warbling, making him almost unintelligible.

“But you are, that’s all that matters right now.” Doctor Hisakawa was a great comfort, and if Akechi needed anything, it was that. After a few minutes, his sobs began to slow. The doctor took a tissue from his pocket and wiped the tears from Akechi’s, now puffy, eyes.

The two sat in silence, minus the detectives occasional sniffle. Akechi was the one to break it, “When will I...be able to leave?” His voice quivered slightly, considering he had only just stopped crying.

“Well, we will have to wait until you are in a condition to, of course. That could take...” Hisakawa paused. He was holding something back, it was obvious, but it didn't seem like he was going to divulge what it was exactly. He cleared his throat, “That doesn't matter now. What does matter is that you're awake.” he smiled, “That means we’ll schedule a physical assessment later today as well as a whole therapy plan. See how you're doing now and what we can do to quicken your recovery. But you seem like a strong young man. I doubt you will be here for all that long.”

“That sounds...” he paused. Something about the doctor’s tone seemed off, made it seem like he was lying. But Akechi didn't care. Hearing that he would be able to get out of the hospital was all he cared for. “...great.” Akechi smiled, a real one this time, no faking it. Hisakawa responded with the same. The doctor stood up from his sitting position.

“In that case, I will head off and get to work.” He walked to the door and was about to exit when he made an audible noise and turned around quickly. “I almost forgot. Your personal belongings are in the dresser on the side of your bed. And...someone, one of the nurses actually...I forget their name, left you a change of clothes for when you wanted to change. They are there as well.”

The ace detective seemed thankful. Kindness from a stranger, one who he had never met before. It filled him with a warmth of some kind. “Thank you Dr. Hisakawa. I don't need anything else. You can leave.” He knew he wouldn't be able to look through the dresser, but he didn't want to anyway. He preferred lying in his bed, thinking, at least for the moment.

The doctor nodded and made his retreat into the corridor, closing the door to Akechi’s room leaving it only slightly ajar. The detective was now left to himself, with only the humming of the TV audible.

Akechi thought on the situation he was thrust into. Stuck in a hospital, unable to move his body in any meaningful way, it filled him with despair. That comment Doctor Hisakawa made earlier ruminated to the point where Akechi no longer considered it the good thing he originally thought. ‘’ _I doubt you will be here that long’ What a bunch of bull._ ’ He knew how his body felt, how his brain felt. There was no way he was getting out of this bed anytime soon, at least out of his own volition.

‘ _You won't be able to do anything yourself now,_ ’ his thoughts continued. ‘ _Everything you want to do will be in the hands of someone else. Do you really want that? Do you trust any of these people enough? What have they done to earn that from you?_ ’ No one had managed that from Akechi, except...Akira. His thoughts wandered again.

‘ _Did he do it? Did he succeed? Is my father behind bars, wallowing in misery like he deserves?_ ’ The detective had been out for so long, he was worried that somehow, the only person he put his trust in, the only one he could do that with, may have failed. The thought was not one he was comfortable with. He shook the thought away and just as he did so, another knock came from the door. He turned his head slowly as the door was widening.

“Akechi?” a young woman’s voice sounded. She completely entered the room and smiled as she looked at the detective. “I’m so glad to see you're up!” she exclaimed, almost too cheerfully. “I’m your nurse. Nurse Ikeda. I hope I can help you in any way I can.”

“Thanks, I hope you can as well.”

The nurse giggled. She walked over to him with concern on her face. “Oh you can't possibly be comfortable lying like that.” She squatted beside the bed, disappearing for a second. When she came up, she handed Akechi a small remote with four large buttons in a square, all with directional arrows. “There. I can't believe Hisakawa forgot to give this to you.”

“And this is for...”

“Raising and lowering your bed!” She pointed to the top two buttons, “These two are for the head and foot of the bed and these,” she continued, pointing to the lower ones, “are for raising or lowering the whole bed.”

Akechi looked at the buttons. He pressed the upper left one, increasing the angle of the upper half of the bed. He smiled as he put himself into a reclined position, not entirely seated but not lying down either.

“Now isn't that better?” Ikeda asked.

Akechi nodded. He wondered why exactly she had entered his room, considering he didn't ask for any help.  “So, Nurse Ikeda. What brings you into my humble abode?”

“I’m here to remove your IV, and since it’s almost lunchtime, see if you have any special requests?”

The boy contemplated for a second and remembered something he did enjoy eating quite often. “Your kitchen wouldn't perhaps have any curry?”

“I...think they might do actually. I’ll check right after...” she shuffled over to the left side of Akechi’s bed, pulling the wheeled tray table over to his other side, “...I take out this.” The nurse reached for the tubing on the teens arm, twisting a dial. Ikeda pulled out some gloves from her pocket, as well as a cotton ball, a disinfectant wipe, and some gauze. She placed the materials on the wheeled tray and pulled on the gloves. Opening the wipe, she used it to clean the area around the IV, which included his skin.

After that, she grabbed the cotton ball and placed it over the area of insertion. “Now, this might feel a bit weird,” she said as she started pulling the needle from Akechi’s skin. He winced, more out of instinct than anything else. Once the needle was removed entirely, she began applying pressure to the opening with the cotton.

“I’m gonna push onto this,” she explained to the boy. She placed three fingers on the ball and with her free hand grabbed the gauze. “And wrap it,” she said while she did just as she told him. She wrapped it staying mainly around the back of his elbow. Once she had finished she exhaled. “All done.” she announced as she walked over to a trash can to toss her mess. She removed her gloves and moved the IV into a corner of the room.

“Now, how about I see if I can't get you that curry?” she winked at the detective. He grinned and watched as she got to the door. The two said their goodbyes with smiles, Ikeda closing the door behind her.

  
~~~~~~~

The young detective sat up in his bed eating, well being fed, curry and watching the news. Nurse Ikeda had sent her assistant to help out the young man with his meal. Her name was Noriko Jeong, a Korean woman he was pretty sure, not much older than he was.

While Akechi was glad to finally have some food in his stomach, the experience felt demeaning. He had some young college student feeding him as if he was a senile old man, he couldn't hold his own utensils up to his mouth, and the curry wasn't even like he would have thought.

He asked for it because he expected something like Leblanc’s. Of course nothing came close to Sojiro’s curry, but just the idea of it sounded appealing. Instead he got a brown pile of mush in a bowl. It was not an appetizing image. Aesthetics are just as important to a meal as the taste is, and all the signs pointed to this being a bad one.

But he couldn't complain too much. The feeling of satisfaction he got when the food hit his stomach was enough to make up for the unpleasantness.

There was one factor about the situation that he couldn't ignore, however. The Nurse’s assistant, Noriko, refused to look at the boy. They only time she would was when she needed to place the spoon against his lips and even that was for a fraction of a second. Akechi noticed this, and stared at her as she looked at her shoes, which didn't improve the situation. Everytime she looked up she would catch a glance of his judgmental eyes and look right back down. Because it was downturned there was no way of knowing for sure, but he was certain the assistant blushed each time.

‘ _I guess it’s hard to get away from fans._ ’ Akechi cleared his throat, “I think I’m finished.” His bowl of the curry-like puree was nearly empty, a few pieces stuck to the sides of it.

“Alright,” Nokiro grabbed the tray that was underneath the bowl and walked out, seemingly speed walking. As she exited, Akechi smirked and rolled his eyes. A few moments later she walked back in and placed herself on Akechi’s right.

“Is there anything else you need?” Despite her efforts to be professional, it was obvious she was nervous, at least to the ace detective it was. He thought on her question and realized he did.

“Yes, actually.” Noriko’s eyes opened slightly, more than they were already. “I’d like to see my belongings, at least what I still have.” She bowed slightly and walked to the dresser. There were three drawers. She opened up the top one and, most likely, there was nothing of interest since she didn't take anything out. The second drawer was the same but the third did actually contain things.

“There’s a notepad, some pens, a wallet, and a cellphone,” the assistant called out. Akechi’s interest was suddenly peaked at the mention of his phone.

“Can you...is my phone functional?”

“I don't know,” she answered, “It’s got a big crack, like someone punched it.” She reached into the drawer and picked up the phone. She clicked the power button and looked stunned. She turned the screen to the seated boy. “Looks like it’s just out of charge.”

Akechi cursed in his head. He’d need to get a charger of some kind. He contemplated and an idea came to him. He put on his best sad face, mopey attitude, and turned to Nokiro. “Oh well...I guess I’ll have to deal with it.” He turned his head down, doing his best not to strain his neck. Whatever he did must have worked because the nurse assistant, almost too loudly exclaimed, “You can use mine! I-I have the same phone as you. I...wouldn't mind you using it.”

“You-you'd do that for me?” Akechi faked a smile.

“Of course! It’s-that’s part of my job...helping you.” She quick stepped out the door and within a minute she returned holding the very charger he required.

“Oh how wonderful! You are just the best!” Akechi said. He was being sarcastic, but he knew the girl would take it as a genuine compliment. She visibly blushed, proving the ace detective right.

Noriko squatted down, plugged the connector into the nearest socket to Akechi’s bed, and plugged in his phone. She placed into his awaiting hand. Since he awoke, he had gained more movement of his arm, which allowed him to place it in his lap.

His phone screen flashed a company logo and began its startup. Akechi smiled, just knowing he'd have a form of communication again. He could finally get someone other than his nurse, her assistant, and his doctor to and talk to.

He could...his thoughts stopped as a sudden realization hit him. ‘ _Why haven't any of them come and visited me? Surely the news would have reported about me being hospitalized_.’ This thought hurt him. Not because he particularly wanted a visit from the Phantom Thieves. Mainly because the one person he trusted, the one who he shared a connection with, the one he was only slightly hesitant to call an acquaintance, Akira Kurusu, never made the effort.

There were very few options as to what was going on. Either Akechi had put his trust in someone who was exactly like all the rest or he overestimated their abilities and they were unable to stop Shido. That idea terrified him the most. He sincerely hoped it wasn't true.

“I-is there anything else Mr. Akechi?”

“No need to be so formal. But yes, I do have some questions,” Akechi started. He planned on seeing if the nurse assistant could shine some light, not on himself this time but on the world around him. The news had entirely avoided politics and never mentioned anything about Akechi waking from his coma. If anyone could help, why not Noriko? “What’s happened since I'd been out? I mean, I was attacked right before a major election and considering my status I'd think people would have done so much for me.”

Noriko looked a bit confused by something he asked but she answered as best she could, “W-well, I think Shido was about to be elected...but he confessed to a whole bunch of stuff that I'm pretty sure disqualified him. It seemed strange that he’d admit to all of it the day he was elected.” Akechi felt a sense of relief wash over him. They did it. The Phantom Thieves. Akira. He fulfilled their promise. He smiled wider than he ever had. That was until Noriko continued. “But what did you mean...’your status’?”

The long-haired teen tilted his head slightly. This girl had no idea who he was? But she made her infatuation with him so obvious, just like all his accolades would do. “I’m...Goro Akechi? The young ace detective? I had a whole feud with the Phantom Thieves, you know, the ones who got Shido to confess? I was in the public eye for quite some time because I so openly opposed them.”

Noriko looked even more confused than the detective, “Phantom...what? Ace detective? Are you feeling okay?”

Akechi became paranoid all of a sudden, but he didn't let it show. Instead he kept it inside, like a lot of things, and came up with an excuse as quickly as possible. “Oh sorry, I forgot I'm in Tokyo. All that happened a few months back in Kyoto...where I'm from. I must have confused Shido with someone else.” Noriko seemed convinced by the lie since she smiled and made an audible noise to show her understanding.

The two sat in silence with the TV almost noiseless. Noriko turned her head and ended the silence, “I...I have some charting to do. You don't mind if I leave you here alone...for awhile, not for that long?”

“Of course, go and finish your work.” She bowed like before and quickly left through the door. Akechi took no time once she exited, to look down at his phone. It had finally turned on and, despite the cracks in the screen, he managed to use his thumb to open the messenger app, the one he previously used to contact the Phantom Thieves.

He stared at the screen, wondering what to say, who to contact. In the end it didn't really matter as long as he had proof that the Thieves still lived. His nurse’s comment made him doubt how successful they were in their efforts. If Akechi knew his father, then Shido wouldn't have gone down easy. He probably had a trick up his sleeve, one that put the whole of the team in danger.

The boy stared at his phone, contemplating the moments before he went unconscious. The ambush Shido had set up. His shadow, a twisted idea of Akechi that made him hate his father, that made him...no, finally allowed him to accept his feelings and do what needed to be done. A sacrifice.

That cat wasn't wrong. All the moments Akechi shared with Akira were genuine. It started out as a way of getting what he wanted, a way in to changing his father’s heart, but after time went on, Akechi actually enjoyed his company. Leblanc was just supposed to be his point of infiltration but it quickly devolved into the only place he could let his true self be more apparent, especially when Akira was there. Akira seemed to be genuine as well.

The two of them got on extremely well for supposed rivals. But their friendship...Akechi had already decided how it was going to go. It didn't matter how he felt. He had convinced himself it was the only way. He shot the leader of the Phantom Thieves, someone he considered a friend, all because he couldn't let his feelings get in the way of his goal. And then, out of the blue, it turns out he failed to kill him.

A part of him was relieved when he found out, but another, more vocal, part of him told him to finish the job. He put up barriers for a reason, to avoid developing any connection to another human being. People only hurt, Akechi had no other experiences to disprove that...except for the ones he had with Akira.

Akira turned everything the detective thought was true about the world, about himself, upside down. He went against the grain and went out of his way to be a friend to him, even to the very last second. Despite his betrayal, despite how flawed he was, despite all the horrible things he'd done, Akira still wished to forge a friendship. For once in his life, Akechi had someone who understood him, someone he could be genuine with, and it took him almost being killed by that very person to understand this.

It took all the courage in the world for Akechi to admit how wrong he was, to accept himself, to sacrifice his life for the greater good. And it was all thanks to that Akira Kurusu. It took him years to build up the defenses that shielded him from hurt, and it took Akira minutes to tear them down and ease his pain.

Thinking about all this, brought a tear to Akechi’s eye. He wasn't a good person and yet...maybe there could be someway to try and make amends. Try and fix everything he'd broken. He could do that, all he needed to do was send a message to the one and only Akira.

He tapped on the leader of the Phantom Thieves icon and hovered over the keyboard, trying his best to articulate what he needed. When he finally figured it out, he typed as quickly as possible, that being a few minutes. He hit send on a message that said:

 

_Akira Kurusu. Long time no see. I know you're going to wonder what the hell is going on, so let me start off by saying, no. I am not dead, nor am I a ghost texting you through the ethereal plane. I am the one and only Goro Akechi, the ace detective who sacrificed himself for your Phantom Thieves to succeed. For the last two months I was in what I assume to be a coma. I only just awoke today in a hospital. I also just heard that Masayoshi Shido did in fact lose but not with the help of the Phantom Thieves. In fact, It seems they don't actually exist. And apparently neither do I, as no one seems to remember who you are, or I am. None of this really matters in the long run, but what does matter is that you are alive. Please, if you aren't dead, if Shido didn't succeed in defeating you, if you still believe in me like I did you, respond. I need nothing more than that._

 

Akechi sat in worried desperation, waiting for a response. It ate him up inside. There was one sentence that he started regretting he sent. ‘’ _None of this really matters in the long run’? ‘What does matter is that you are alive’? Do you want him to think you care? Did you actually think he’d even want to talk to a traitor like you? Is he even really a friend? Maybe he was just playing you._ ’

Akechi’s inner demons were always present, always making him doubt, ruining any positive emotions he had. It was awful, but he had to deal with it in secret. People didn't like helping out those with problems they can't see. It’s why he never went to seek bettering himself. Even if he did, who would want to hear him complain about himself for days?

After five long, excruciating minutes filled with self-loathing, he got a response. Seeing that Akira was in fact alive, put him at ease almost completely. He snatched the phone up as soon as the alert came and opened the messenger to read the reply. It was a simple reply, a question really, only two words, yet they still put some of his inner voices at bay:

 

_What hospital?_

* * *

 


	2. Beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _But I know, I know life can be beautiful_  
>  _I pray, I pray for a better way_  
>  _If we changed back then, we can change again_ _  
> _ We can be beautiful

* * *

  

 A buzzing from inside his pocket took his attention away from the screen of the TV.

On said screen was a video game, one which entitled fighting other characters. He had been mercilessly beating his opponent but the sudden noise and movement of his phone broke his concentration just enough to start him losing.

“Aw, yeah! Looks like someone’s lost their touch,” the blond seated next to him teased. He would have thought it funny if not for the fact that it was true. His health had dropped to an unrecoverable point and he had lost all momentum. He had no real choice but to concede. He shrugged his shoulders and stopped mashing buttons and watched as the last pixels of red drained from his status bar.

“KO!” the letters flashed on screen along with a voiceover announcing them.

“Hell yeah!” the more upbeat teen yelled as he jumped up from his seat. “Finally!”

“Congrats, how does it feel to win at something for once?” the voice came from the couch right beside them.

“Shuddup cat!” the boy angrily retorted. “At least I have fingers. I'd like to see you beat me with your stupid little paws.”

“Stupid? You must have a lot of experience with that,” the cat smirked and chuckled lightly.

“Why you little...” Akira was used to their fighting. He had taken to tuning out any and all arguments they had. They were never about anything important, but they did usually start with the cat insulting Ryuji.

This time he had his phone to help ignore his friends’ bickering. he pulled out his phone and saw he had a message, from a number he didn't recognize. With a quizzical look he opened his messenger along with said message. Upon reading the first line his eyes bulged out of his head. _Akechi? He’s not dead?_

He read further, until he finished the message and began rereading it. His mind went through dozens of thoughts at once, he couldn't keep them straight. He could have sworn that his breathing picked up and a few beads of sweat dripped down his face but it was simply his overreacting heart that made him feel this way.

“Akira, can you please get your cat to-” Ryuji paused in the middle of his sentence at the sight of his best friend. Akira was hunched over looking at his phone and tapping his foot, all signs that he was contemplating something. “Hey, are you okay dude?”

Akira looked up towards Ryuji, “Uh-yeah...I'm...I'm fine.”

“You don't look it. Whaddya reading that’s got you worked up?”

He thought about whether or not he should tell Ryuji. He never got along with the ace detective, and hearing that he wasn't dead? Akira could only imagine his reaction to that. “A uh...text message.”

“No duh,” Ryuji rolled his eyes, “from who?”

“A friend...yeah, a friend.”

“If that’s true, why do you look so nervous? I don't got any friends that make me like you right now.”

Of course Ryuji would notice he was nervous. No amount of effort would have made it any less obvious. It may have been best to tell the truth, but Akira was sure that his friend would freak out. He couldn't let that happen, not yet at least. “It’s...complicated. See they've been gone for a few months and...I...” Unfortunately he couldn't think of anything to say. Nothing could really excuse his behavior well enough to get Ryuji off his back.

“Oh my god. It’s a girl, isn't it?” the cat shouted from it’s seat.

“What? No, it’s not-”

“A girl!?” Ryuji interrupted, “I thought you were single! Why didn't you just tell me? I woulda totally understood.” Akira exhaled slightly, relief washing over him. The fact that Ryuji seemed content with the answer was good enough that he wasn't bothered much by the girl comment.

“...But now that I know that...” Ryuji smirked. He wanted something that was for sure. “You gotta show me what she said!”

Akira was surprised by the request, “ Wha-no, I'm not-”

“Come on, I deserve to know what my best bud’s doing. Especially if it involves a chick. It’s like...best friend law or somethin’.”Ryuji was already reaching for Akira’s phone before he recognized what was happening. He attempted to pull his phone away but Ryuji was just quick enough that he was able to grab ahold of it.

He tried pulling it out of Akira’s grasp and with one final tug he managed it. Akira had planned on shutting it off before Ryuji got it but his reflexes weren't good enough, leaving the blond able to read the text message.

Ryuji’s eyes were glued to screen, intently scanning, for a few seconds before he pulled his gaze away. “Akechi?! That bastard isn't dead?!” he quickly went back to reading and after finishing it he was fuming. “What the hell kinda bullshit is this!?”

“Ryuji calm down,” Akira tried soothing.

“Like Hell I'm gonna calm down!” Despite his comment he appeared to becoming less and less angry. He inhaled and exhaled. “I’m not gonna relax after all that shit he put us through.”

Akira reached for his phone and was met with no resistance. “I know. I get it. But he is still a person.”

“He killed people! I think that’s a good enough reason to be angry.”

“But if he didn't sacrifice his life, even more people would have been hurt.” the boy argued as he brought his phone to his lap.

“You sound like you're defending him.” Despite the fact that Ryuji’s comment was supposed to come off as an insult, Akira did not take it as such. It was true.

“That’s because I am. We thought he was dead for the last couple months. We thought he gave his life to save us, to save the people of Japan. Even if before that he was terrible, he saw what was right in the end. I can't just ignore that.” The teens sat in silence for a moment. Akira expected Ryuji to retaliate with another jab but he didn't. Since no response came from him, Akira lifted his phone up and tapped on the screen. That was what prompted the blond to say something.

“Whaddya doing?”

“I’m asking him where he is.”

“What!?” the runner shouted. “You can’t be effin’ serious!”

“I am,” Akira said, turning his phone screen towards Ryuji to show his short response.

“Dude...”

“I’m failing to see why you object so much.”

“It’s just,” Ryuji scratched the back of his neck, “do you not see how fishy this seems? I mean, you get a text from a dead guy talkin’ about how he’s in a hospital somewhere and he and the Phantom Thieves don't exist and you're not the least bit suspicious?”

Akira thought for a second. What Ryuji said were valid reasons to be worried but there was something about the message that put all of them at ease. “I’m the only one who gets him. It’s why he texted me of all people. He knows that I’ll hear him out, that I trust him enough to do that...I'm his only friend.”

Ryuji looked down at the floor. He sighed, “Yeah...”

Akira’s phone vibrated in his hand to see a response already from the ace detective. He typed in the hospital name into his navigation app. “That’s only like thirty minutes from here.”

“What, the hospital?” Ryuji asked.

Akira nodded, standing up from his seat and typing at his phone. “I'm going over there.”

“Seriously? For God’s sake man. You really think-”

Akira cut him off, “Look, I know the two of you were never on the best terms, but he and I were. I'm not gonna just sit here playing video games with you when I just found out one of my friends is lying in a hospital somewhere with nobody.” The teen was already at the top of the stairs and Ryuji looked on with confusion. “I never said you had to come, but I’m going. With or without you.”

Ryuji was unsure. He turned his gaze from Akira towards the cat who let out a noise, conveying a tone of uncertainty. The blond looked back at his best friend who was already a few steps down from the attic. He rolled his eyes and got up from his chair. He exhaled, “Alright, fine. But I’m not promising I’ll be nice.”

 

~~~~~

 

The only train that got the two close enough to walk to the hospital in good time required them to wait twenty minutes, making Akira’s original estimate a bit off. It didn't matter however, since they arrived within the hour they left.

The building was around eight stories tall, dozens of windows covering its walls. A double wide automatic door worked as the entrance right under a short canopy.

“Well...here we are,” Ryuji commented as they walked up to the front of the building. Akira was silent the the entire journey and he didn't plan on breaking it at the suggested prompting of his friend. The surrealness of the situation was too much for that. He chose to instead stick with his still contemplation.

At least, he thought it was still. The fact that his companion called out to him to slow down proved otherwise. The noise broke his concentration, stopping him right in front of the doors. They opened just as they were designed to and kept the position.

“You okay dude? You zoned out like as soon as we hit the hospital.”

“Yeah...I’m good. Just...nervous is all.”

“Who wouldn't be.” The blond’s comment came off as a joke, but it was entirely possible he was serious. Akira didn't react. He walked through the divide separating the clinical from the mundane.

He made his way to the reception desk a couple paces within the building, Ryuji a few steps behind. On one side of the desk sat a few people in chairs in a large waiting lounge, an entrance to an elevator present. The opposite side of that was a plain wall with a swinging double door.

At the desk was a woman, typing on a keyboard, occasionally looking at the screen and pushing her glasses up her nose. As the boys got within her visual range she looked up and smiled.

“Good afternoon. How can I help you two today?”

Akira froze. He was lost in his own thoughts again, failing to notice the automatic movements of his legs. A slightly confused, “Uh,” was all that escaped his lips.

The nurse squinted slightly and turned her attention to Ryuji who did provide an answer to her question. “Yeah, we’re here to visit someone.”

The lady smiled once again, “Certainly. And who might that be?”

“Goro Akechi.” The receptionist looked surprised at the mention of his name. Ryuji noticed and asked, “Is there something wrong?”

“No. Not at all. It’s just that he hasn't had a visitor his entire stay. We were beginning to wonder if he would ever get one.”

“Well, we’re here now,” he faked a smile.

“Indeed,” the she replied. “Now, what’s your relation to Mr. Akechi?” the lady asked, typing on the keys.

Ryuji glanced over at his friend, who was still in his own world. He hated having to call Akechi it, but since his accompaniment wasn't entirely there he had no other choice. “We’re his...friends.”

The receptionist nodded, typed again, and responded, “He is in the long term care, fifth floor...room 516.” She looked from the computer to her desk and ripped what appeared to be a paper. She handed the scraps to the boys which turned out to be visitor stickers. Ryuji picked them out of her fingers and thanked her. “The elevator is right over there,” she directed to the waiting room.

Ryuji started moving but noticed his friend still off somewhere, mentally speaking. He elbowed him, “Hey, Akira. Time to go.”

He shook his head slightly and made eye contact with the blond. “Yeah...alright.” The pair made their way into the elevator, Akira noticing Ryuji’s concerned stare the whole time. They settled in, Akira pushing the button to take them to the fifth level. Just as the doors closed, Ryuji made no time piping up.

“What the hell, dude? What is up with you? You were so eager to get here and now that you are you're just...nothing.”

Akira didn't have an eloquent response to that. He stared at the button that was lit and tried his best to formulate one. “I don't know...I guess I'm just...this whole situation just hit me. I've spent the last two months mourning one of my friends and I suddenly find out that it was all unnecessary. That he sacrificed his life for us only for that to be untrue. My emotions they're just...complicated right now and it wasn’t something I thought about until we actually made the trip out here.”

Ryuji had no response. He nodded in silent agreement and waited the few seconds for the elevator to make its ascent. He handed Akira his visitor sticker and the two placed them on their chests just as a bell dinged and the upward movement stopped. The doors opened, allowing the two occupants to exit into one of the hallways of the long term care wing. On the wall near the elevator were directional panels indicating what was where. According to it, the room they were looking for was straight down the hallway.

The two walked in silence in the direction passing rooms of patients and a nurses’ station. The end of the hallway turned right, into a fire door, and led further down. The nearest number at that point was 510, meaning they had six more rooms before Akechi’s, if the receptionist provided accurate information. They passed through the open doors, medicine carts, and stopped right in front of the second nurses’ station. Their desired room was just ahead, as room 515 was in front of them.

Akira saw the number. He knew that just in just a few steps he’d be greeted by someone he thought dead. Someone that trusted him. Someone who was nearly killed for him. He gulped and turned to Ryuji, “Let’s go.”

They got to the doorway when a man in a lab coat walked out, a smile on his face. The pair nearly crashed into him. “Ooh, excuse me,” he apologized, about to walk off when he looked at who had almost bumped him. As his eyes glanced quickly, the smile on his face only got wider. “My word! If it isn't two of the Phantom Thieves! What brings the likes of you to this...” he paused, seeming to answer his own question. “Oh of course! How could I forget. You're here for Akechi. Now I know he’s your rival but don't go changing his heart while he's bedridden.” The doctor chuckled and patted Akira on the shoulder. He walked off into the nurse’s station and began conversing with one of the seated women who was writing in a binder.

The encounter was strange to Akira. He didn't expect anyone to recognize him here, considering Akechi made it seem as if they were nonexistent in the eyes of the hospital’s residents. He shook it off, deciding to ask Akechi directly. He took a deep breath and stepped through the door of room 516.

Akechi was lying still on his bed, watching the news. The commotion the doctor made must have roused him from it considering as Akira entered his room, he was already facing him. Akira couldn't be sure from where he was but he thought Akechi’s whole demeanor lit up at the sight of him. It filled him with a sense of relief, one he hadn't had since the commute to the hospital.

“Well, well. If it isn't the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Looks like you've fallen for my trap once again,” Akechi joked, a smile on his face, different from the sinister one he branded into Akira’s psyche.

“For real?!” Ryuji shouted as he sped into the room only to be greeted by Akechi’s flaccid body, unmoving.

“No, Ryuji,” Akira rolled his eyes. He walked over to Akechi’s bed looking at the weakened figure lying in it. He wasn't surprised per se, but it did twist his stomach slightly. Maybe it was genuine displeasure of looking at a atrophied body, or maybe it was the fact that someone he cared for was in such a state. Either way, he planned on comforting him.

There was a chair placed at Akechi’s right side that Akira immediately sat in. He didn't have much to say so he only looked in bewilderment.

“I know. It’s not exactly pretty but it is better than being crumpled on the floor in a pool of my own blood.” Again, the detective seemed to be joking, but something about his tone this time worried the phantom thief.

“Akechi...I'm sorry. If I would have-”

“Please. Don't. I have no need for your sympathies. That was in the past. We don't need to wallow in apologies and the ‘what if’s.”

Akira understood. He didn't feel the need to push him any further. He looked into his friends eyes for the first time in months. They showed genuine warmth, something Akechi had never shown anyone. He looked at the nappy, unkempt hair that stuck to his pillow. It gave off a playfulness he wouldn't have expected. He noticed an ovular scar on the left side of his neck. The location of the injury that changed, not only him but, all of Japan. Then his thin frame. Only small muscle stuck to bone. It showed a weakness, one Akechi would have done anything to hide from him before. Now it was all open, free to be seen by all, the things that made him who he was...gone. Replaced by something different, somewhat better.

These things Akira noticed, they were a lot to take in. Sure, the ace detective was still recognizable but he had changed. The changes revealed character no one was ever allowed to see before and the thought that he was the first to notice them...he could feel the emotions building up behind his eyes.

“Akechi...” he whispered as the tears formed.

“Kurusu, I already told you-” but it was too late. Akechi’s plea didn't come quick enough. The water works streamed down Akira’s face, the boy burying his head into Akechi’s sheets.

Akechi sighed. A few seconds of tears and he had placed his hand so that it made contact with Akira’s head. The crying boy lifted his head, eyes still pouring, and saw the hand. He looked at the detectives eyes once more, his hand turning over so his palm was facing the ceiling. Akira noticed this from the corner of his eye and took the hint.

He wiped the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. He brought his other one from his lap and placed it into Akechi’s awaiting hand. He squeezed, closing his eyes and smiling. Akechi did the same, as best as he could.

The tears had stopped once he felt the pressure on his fingers, but Akira’s face was wet and his eyes were turning slightly red nonetheless. He reopened them and as the detective did as well, their eyes briefly met. Akechi grinned, “Thank you.”

Ryuji had made his way to the window and was doing his best to stay out of their way, but the last comment compelled him to say something. “If you guys are gonna be all sappy, count me out.”

The two boys giggled simultaneously. Something they've never done before. Akira thought it was wonderful.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Ryuji,  
> My vulgar boy making me change the rating because he can't keep his language in control.  
> It won't change again  
> ...  
> I hope


	3. Shine a Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _By the light of day_  
>  _Why not shine, shine, shine a light_  
>  _On your deepest fears_  
>  _Let in sunlight now_  
>  _And your pain will disappear_  
>  _Shine, shine, shine_  
>  _And all your scars and your flaws_  
>  _Will look lovely because you shine_
> 
> _You shine a light_

* * *

 

Her cellphone rang on her desk.

The noise startled her from her work, causing her to shuffle the papers. Her hand made a slight stroke mistake in her signing, not noticeable at a glance but it was enough to bother her. She sighed and finished her signature, despite how it made her feel. She put the pen down and turned her attention to the source of her disturbance. She lifted the phone to her face and looked at who had caused her error. It was a message...from Akechi. ‘ _What? It...can't be..._ ’ She opened the message as quick as possible to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. It read:

 

_Sae, it is your old partner Akechi. I know my contacting you after two months of my presumed death might be overwhelming but it is of utmost importance that I speak to you. In person. I've been hospitalized and am unable to meet you at your office, as I would have done by now. Please, whenever you can, make your way over so that I may divulge some information as well as explain the situation._

 

The prosecutor put her phone back down. She pushed her paperwork off to the side slightly, enough so that she could see the hardwood of her desk and ignore her actual work. She stared, examining the grains intently, thinking.

‘ _There's...no way...he can't be alive._ ’ Sae had no clue what was going on. She knew whoever sent the message was indeed sending it from Akechi’s phone. She never got around to deleting his number so it sat in her contacts, a grim reminder of the young detective lost to his own psyche.

There was the possibility of it not being the detective, just someone who got ahold of his phone deciding to play a very ill humored joke. She wanted to believe it was the truth but part of her knew the chances of that. ‘ _How unlikely...he died in the Metaverse..._ ’

She had to accept that it was indeed the young detective. No other possibilities accounted for, what had to be, troubling coincidences otherwise. Sighing, she lifted her phone once more and sent a reply.

 

_I’ll be there once I’m off work. Just give me all the information I need._

 

She was confident in her response, nodding slightly and bringing her papers back to her attention. She began reading a new document when a knock came from the door of her office.

“Come in,” she stated dryly. The knob turned and in walked a young man with squared glasses, an intern working in her building. He was holding a gift basket with an assortment of red colored gifts, decorated with hearts and stylised writing.

“Sorry Nijima, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything.” He was soft spoken but managed to assert some confidence, expected of a new employee.

“No, not at all. I was just...” She stopped herself. She was still reading the document when the man had entered, meaning she was unaware of what was in his possession. Once he spoke she actually lifted her head, allowing her to see the unnecessarily large gift. “...who is that for?”

“You. At least...that’s what it says on the tag.” The intern walked the basket to Sae, placing it at the edge of her desk, atop some of her completed papers.

“Who sent this?” she asked, already searching for the aforementioned tag.

“It was from one of the other prosecutors. Tomomi, I think.”

Sae felt a slight anger at hearing that name. She had to resist the urge to storm out of her office and smack the man on a daily basis for his unwanted romantic advances. The elaborate gift was another gesture she absolutely did not appreciate.

She found the tag a few moments later and, sure enough, it was from Tomomi. She balled her fist around the note and tore it off, refusing to even read what he had wrote. It was most certainly not romantic in the slightest.

“Thank you, Hayato,” she said, tossing the crumpled paper into the garbage bin next to her desk. “Tell Tomomi that I am...flattered.”

Hayato bowed slightly, “Certainly.” He exited the door shutting it behind him. Sae leaned back in her chair, looking to the ceiling.

‘ _Can that guy just not take a hint?_ ’ she grabbed the basket handle and placed it on the floor behind her, out of sight. She did not wish to be reminded of the procurer of the gift. That man was in no way her type. His uptight attitude, his narcissistic worldview, and his horrible condescension. There was nothing she liked about Tomomi, and she made it quite clear to most, but he kept coming back.

Usually he’d only flirt with her, or buy her some coffee or lunch but today he went all out. ‘ _Why’d he buy this? It’s not my birthday. He doesn't even..._ ’ She turned to her calendar and saw the date. ' _The 14.._. ' It was Valentine’s day. ‘ _Oh..._ ’

Sae was never one for the holiday. It never appealed to her, but the people around her seemed to differ. They made it a big deal, something she never understood. But that didn't mean she wouldn't partake in the festivities. If she found someone to share the day with then of course, but that was an extremely rare occurrence.

Even so, she refused to acknowledge the gift. She would definitely toss it in the garbage the moment she was able. ‘ _But...that seems like such a waste..._ ’ Sae tried thinking of any other options that would ease her frugal nature. As quick as she did, an idea popped into her mind. ‘ _I could give it to Akechi...I’m sure he’d be delighted._ ’

She smiled to herself, considering her idea a great alternative. The young detective did have a proclivity for sweet snacks...and hearts...and stuffed animals. ‘ _Eh, what does it matter._ ’ Sae smirked and picked up the paper she was reading before. She completed skimming through it just as a message, from Akechi, made its presence known via vibrations on the wood desktop. The message contained the address of the hospital he was in and his room number, very useful information indeed.

Sae nodded, and stood up from her desk. She went to a file cabinet in one corner of the room and pulled out a file. She opened it and looked through the documents, making sure they were all accounted for. ‘ _I’ll be there Akechi...just gotta get through one more case_.’

 

~~~~~

 

Entering the hospital was a breeze. Getting there in the middle of rush hour in Tokyo? A completely different experience. Add onto the fact she was carrying both her normal bag and a cumbersome basket...let's say it was not ideal.

It might have been difficult, but she made it. The receptionist was most helpful, providing her with a sticker and seeming to be happy for Akechi receiving a ‘new visitor’. Sae ascended in the elevator and walked down the fifth floor hallway, it’s walls decorated with hearts and red streamers. She wondered where the staff of a hospital got the time to decorate in the first place. She got to the room Akechi, and the receptionist, gave her, room 516, hesitating a bit before getting the courage to enter.

She was greeted by the visage of a less than muscular Akechi watching television. She wasn't surprised by his physique, but by the almost identical basket placed atop his bedside table.

Akechi turned his attention from the T.V. and greeted Sae. “Finally. I’m so glad I can speak to you. And you brought a gift. How sweet.” Akechi smiled genuinely which warmed her heart slightly.

Sae was at a loss for words. In the moment she could only articulate one, “Akechi...”

“Yep, that is me,” the detective joked. He chuckled lightly causing Sae to smile for the first time since entering the hospital. “Come, sit down. You can put that next to the other one.” He pointed towards the other basket to which Sae walked over and did just as he proposed. She scooted to the chair at his bedside and sat examining his bony appendages.

“You...wanted to talk to me about some things, correct?” Sae wasn't one for small talk, or putting things off so she went straight to the topic that brought her to Akechi’s room in the first place.

“Ah, straight to business like always. You haven't changed at all.” Akechi sighed, “Well, I need to talk to you about...my actions...the ones that got me in this very situation.” Akechi looked Sae right in her eyes but quickly diverted them to the door in his room, the one next to the television, at the sound of a flushing toilet. The sound was quickly replaced by a rushing sink, which prompted Sae to stare accusingly at Akechi.

“Who else is here visiting?” She suspected that at the very least someone had been by to drop off the gift. She didn't suspect, however, that the person might still be in the room, only a doors width away.

Akechi smiled lightly at her question and was about to answer when the bathroom door opened. Out walked Akira, his glasses not present on his face. He shut the door behind him and noticed Sae sitting in, what was previously, his seat.

“Sae...you're here earlier than I thought.”

“Well, I had only one case left to wrap up. I made my way here as soon as I was finished.” Akira nodded, and walked to Akechi’s bedside, the same side Sae was on.

He sat at the foot of the bed and asked, “So...did Akechi tell you why we asked you here?”

“We?” She didn't expect the invitation to be a combined effort, but it didn't change much in the long run. She would hear what Akechi had to say, whether or not Akira decided to add anything,

“Yes,” the detective responded, “Akira and I have been speaking quite a lot recently and he managed to convince me to...atone, for lack of a better word.”

“Wha-I'm sorry, but what exactly would you need to atone for anyway?”

The two teens were silent. The exchanged looks and met eyes with Sae. “Are you...you're kidding right?” Akira wondered. “Did you forget about the mental shutdowns?”

“I would have expected different from a public prosecutor...” Akechi trailed off.

Sae almost immediately after asking the question, realized the answer. She felt embarrassed for having almost forgotten a case she worked on only months prior, let alone a very high profile one. “I-yes, I know,” she placed her head in her hand, “It’s just...been a long day.”

The room went silent again, this time broken by Sae. “So...you want to try and make amends for the shutdowns? If I may, why the sudden change of heart?”

Akechi looked away for a moment before returning his gaze. He answered, “It wasn't sudden, per se. It was a long time coming, really. When the Phantom Thieves defeated me...that was the catalyst. I realized that, despite what seemed like similar reasoning, I was the one in the wrong. I came to terms with the fact that if I were to continue fighting my fight alone, I'd destroy so much. I'd ruin the order of things and still fail to succeed.

But if I sacrificed myself, if I made one last effort to save those who could actually better the world, then our similar goals would be complete. But even that...can't erase the truth of my action. I have...so much blood on my hands, so much weighing on my conscience since I woke up.” Akechi looked to the window which let in a bright orange glow. “I have to do something to make amends. Anything.”

Sae listened intently and was quite moved by Akechi’s willingness to change but there was one thing she wasn't clear on. “That’s all well and good but...not to be blunt, what does that have to do with me?”

“You're a prosecutor. Why do you think we called you?” Akira wondered. He had a sense of nervousness around him, something Sae picked up on.

“I don't...” she thought, her hand on her chin. Most people call a public prosecutor for the duty of defending someone in court. Since that was the case, who would Akira and Akechi want defended? And what would that have to do with Akechi’s crimes? Maybe it was something else, not a defense thing. ‘ _No..._ ’ she thought, ‘ _He wouldn't..._ ’

“You're not...did you call me to turn yourself in?” Sae almost jumped out of her chair in shock. She managed to stay put however. Only her eyes and tone of voice showed surprise.

“...That was the plan, yes.” Akechi seemed to struggle to say it but he pushed himself to.

“Are you crazy?! You'd be put in prison for life! And in your condition? You can't possibly think-” Sae began to yell. She was cut off by Akira’s shushing.

“Calm down Sae. We are in a hospital.”

The prosecutor sighed, “You're right. But what I said still stands.”

“Of course,” Akechi agreed, “but so does my statement.”

“I...” Sae pondered the situation. Akechi was morally correct to turn himself into the police, that much was obvious, but logically he had no reason to. His father had already taken responsibility for his crimes and most everyone in Japan forgot Akechi even existed at all. Going to prison would be a victory to no one and bittersweet to those closest to Akechi, namely Akira and Sae. Based entirely on their expressions, Akira and Akechi knew this as well.

“You don't want him to go to prison do you?” Sae questioned Akira.

“Wh-what?” the Phantom Thief paused, collecting his thoughts. “...I...no, of course I don't. Akechi’s one of my friends. I'd have to be heartless to want him to rot in jail for the rest of his life...but...he has to. It’s the right thing to do.”

Sae nodded, “And you, Akechi? Do you want to go to prison?”

Akechi cleared his throat, “What would compel me to want such a thing in the first place? I have no desire to live in a cell for the rest of my life, but I’ll refer to what Akira said. I have to.”

“Is that the case though? Is there not any other way to make up for your transgressions?”

The teens furrowed their brows. “Are you saying there’s another way? One that doesn't put him in jail?” Based on his voice alone, Akira seemed almost excited by the idea but his face didn't show it.

“Well, when you consider the fact that Shido has taken sole responsibility for the mental shutdowns and the fact that your name is falling into obscurity, I'd say you don't technically need to atone for anything.” Sae didn't completely agree with her assessment, specifically the part that had Akechi leaving well enough alone. But she cared for Akechi. She knew him before his true nature was surfaced, allowing her to justify protecting him from the harshness of a cell.

“So you mean...he won't have to be taken in?” Akira asked. The corners of his mouth twitched, as if suppressing a smile. He turned to Akechi who was looking at his feet. “Are you even listening, Goro? She just said you wouldn't-”

Sae was taken aback by the use of the detectives first name, but even more so by Akechi’s abrupt response. “No,” he interrupted. His tone was cold and slightly angry. “I have to take responsibility. It’s the only way to make this right.”

“Maybe to yourself. But to the people of Japan? They don't even know you did anything. Are you that willing to go live behind bars that you won't even entertain the idea for a few seconds?”

Akechi was silent. He refused to make eye contact with either of the rooms other occupants. “You had spent the last week convincing me I had no other alternatives and here you are, so quick to forget everything and move on.”

Akira gazed sadly at Akechi. “Maybe it’s because I didn't know enough. Now I do. We can just...forget if we wanted to. You won't have to live behind jail doors wallowing in despair, and I won't have to live with the regret of ‘What if’s.”

“I already told you once before not to.”

Akira smiled weakly, “You know me. Always wondering.”

The three were silent for a moment before Akechi piped up, “So...instead of dealing with my despair alone in a cell, you'd have me out here...with you?”

“Doesn't that sound like a better alternative?” Akechi looked back up. He turned his head to Akira.

He smiled, “It certainly is tempting...but...isn't there anything for me to do?”

Sae remained quiet in order to give herself time come up with an idea, one that might satisfy all of their wishes. Luckily, she managed just in time for Akechi’s prompting of a question. “You can try apologizing to those you wronged. If nothing else, it’ll be a start to bettering yourself.”

Akechi didn't respond, he only kept staring. “You know...we’re doing this because we care about you, Goro. We’re not trying to...subvert the law for some selfish reasons.” Akira scooted up the bed slightly, enough to grasp Akechi’s hand.

The detective sighed, “Look at you two. Always watching out for me, for people who don't deserve it...” He took a deep breath, “Alright. I won't turn myself in. But I will do everything I can to make it up to those I hurt. Thank you Akira. Thank you Sae, for what you've done for me with this talk.”

“Anytime,” she added, leaning over her chair to give the detective a hug. He released Akira’s hand and lifted his arms weakly to accept the embrace. As Sae let him go and sat back down in her chair, she remembered something she had noticed earlier.

“Now that that’s all settled...would you mind telling me what the story behind that basket is?” Akechi smiled and Akira shuffled in his seat slightly. Sae giggled at their reactions and waved off the question. “Nevermind. That was all the answer I needed.”

 

* * *

 


	4. Me Inside of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Heather cried, our sins fell off her shoulders _
> 
> _ Heather died, so we could all be free _
> 
> _ Heather’s gone, but she will live forever _
> 
> _ She's the dove that sings outside my window _
> 
> _ She's the twin from whom I'm separated _
> 
> _ Heather sees the me inside of me _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Heather is the me inside of me _

* * *

 

His people watching was rudely interrupted by a buzzing in his jean’s pocket.

With a quick reach into his pocket he pulled out his cellular device to see he had received a message from Akira, one of the few people who didn't mind his overly artistic conversations. The message in question was a very simple request:

 

_Yusuke, I know you're always on the lookout for places to find artistic muse and I think I might have found one. If you're interested, just say the word and I’ll tell you exactly where._

 

Yusuke was very rarely contacted by Akira before his prompting. And when he did, it was always because Yusuke wished for Akira to accompany him on a search for new inspiration, never the other way around. The role-reversal piqued his interest immediately. That and the fact he was at the start of an artistic slump meant he took no time writing out his response:

 

_You of all people should know I never miss out on an opportunity for new inspiration. The very fact that you contacted me first makes this no different. Tell me where you plan on taking me. I’m sure it is most interesting._

 

Yusuke was beaming with excitement just at the thought of being disclosed the information. With Akira, there was no telling where he would take you, making the list of possible places nearly endless.

The artist was too giddy to take his eyes off his phone. He merely watched and waited for the response from Akira. It was no longer than a minute when his phone received the message. Yusuke quickly read the message, expecting a generic place term but getting an address instead.

‘ _Hmm...wants to keep it a mystery I see..._ ’ he thought. ‘ _I like a good mystery_.’ He put the address into his navigation app and found the next train in the very station he was in that would bring him nearest to it. Whatever the place was, it seemed relatively close to Shibuya, as well as Yusuke’s current place of residence.

The next train to leave in the direction he needed to go was within the hour, giving him enough time to head home and pick up his sketching tools. No way was the artist going to be able to bring a full set of painting supplies in the time limit. He began walking towards the exit of the underground as he was texting Akira a response:

 

_I will be there most presently_

 

He hit send and ascended the stairs of the station into the square. ‘ _I wonder what new place he has found._ ’

 

~~~~~

 

Yusuke did not expect to be led to a hospital. He even checked the address again to make sure he didn't make a wrong turn. But no matter how much he tried to find some mistake he couldn't. Akira had brought him to a hospital, the last place he’d expect.

Yusuke wasn't one to shy away from the morbid, the grotesque, or the sickly. He was an artist. Turning your nose from those things would be a crime, in his mind at least. That being said, he saw nothing within those ideas that sparked any kind of art. Add onto the fact that most of Yusuke’s art revolved around himself or those around him, and you get the revelation that there was nothing for him here.

But he made a promise, and breaking a promise was worse than running a blank on a new art piece. With a sigh, Yusuke walked through the entrance and headed straight to the reception desk, his sketch pad under his arm. The lady behind it was typing away and before he spoke, he looked for a name tag. He always found it more respectful to call someone by name to get their attention.

There, just above her chest, was just that, a name tag. Yusuke smiled and said, “Ms. Masami,” he said, causing the woman to look up quickly.

She had a confused expression but gave her normal greeting, “Good afternoon...what can I help you with?”

“I am looking for someone. I was hoping you could provide some information.”

The nurse gave a weak smile, “Certainly. Who is this person?”

“Akira Kurusu. I doubt he is a patient here, considering I saw him only just yesterday, in perfectly good health as well.”

“Oh Kurusu!” Masami beamed, “He's a regular visitor here.”

“He is?” Yusuke asked, “Might I know for whom?”

“I'm sorry but I’m not supposed to disclose visitor information.”

Yusuke nodded, “Of course, I understand.”

The woman sighed, “Again, I apologize but...” she glanced to her right and smiled. She looked back at the artist, “but you could just ask him.” From the waiting room, Akira was heading in his direction, a smile plastered on his face.

“Hey, Yusuke. Glad you could get here.”

“Yes, quite. But I would very much like to know why you would choose a hospital to bring me to as opposed to a whole myriad of places.”

Akira inhaled, “Well...I didn't bring you here just for that...”

“Then for what possible reason could you-”

“Oh just come on,” Akira said, grabbing the artist’s wrist, dragging him towards the elevator.

“Don't forget your sticker! Masami cried from the desk. Yusuke, who was closer to her, quickly grabbed the scrap of paper and followed Akira. They entered the lift and ascended, Yusuke trying to articulate a question. Just as he did, the elevator reached its destination and the two walked out of it.

“The receptionist, Masami, said you were a regular visitor to this hospital. I have no reason to doubt her, considering she’d have no reason to make such a thing up, so please explain. Who do you come and speak to so much that a simple nurse would recognize you and your name?”

Akira rolled his eyes, “You've been here not even five minutes and you already know the receptionist’s name? Why am I not surprised.”

“As you should. I am nothing if not observant. But why don't you answer my previous question?”

The two had made it to the corner of the hallways, and began heading down the second, when Akira answered, “You’ll see soon enough.”

Yusuke would have complained, but within a few seconds, the boy who was leading him had entered a room, room 516. Yusuke followed and nearly collapsed at the sight of Akechi, alive no less.

“A...Akechi...” Yusuke stammered, as Akira lead him to a chair by the bed.

“Indeed, that is me” The artist was at a loss for words. Just as the hospital was the last place he expected to be, Akechi was the last person he expected Akira to be visiting. He sat down in the chair and marveled at the boy.

“You...” Yusuke’s mind was filled to the brim with thoughts. He couldn't keep them all in order. He suddenly had so many idea for paintings, for drawings, for sculptures, even other forms of art he never considered to pursue. He finally understood why Akira had believed this place would cause a spark within him. The still living Goro Akechi was the perfect muse.

Akira placed his hand on Yusuke’s shoulder “I know. It’s a lot to take in but I’d like to ask you to try and stay focused on us.”

“See...there is something I must do...for all three of us,” Akechi muttered.

Yusuke snapped out of his artistic stupor and did as he was requested, listened to the two boys. “Of course,” he responded, “What is it that you mean?”

Akechi sighed, “I have come to a conclusion, thanks to Akira, that I must atone for the things I have done. And with the help of Sae, I decided that my best course of action would be to...apologize. In my current state it’s the most I can do.” Akira had sat in another chair on Akechi’s left, listening just as intently as Yusuke.

“I see,” the artist mumbled, “so you wish to apologize for the ways you have wronged me, correct?”

“Yes. Pretty much.”

“Hmm,” Yusuke sounded somewhat indifferent, and he was. The detective had never done much in the way of harming, or doing wrong to Yusuke directly, but he was responsible for the way the Phantom Thieves were treated. That could not be ignored. But...Yusuke had already.

Akechi’s death, while hard on their leader, had little impact on the Phantom Thieves as a whole. Akechi never did him any personal harm either, making his response to the apology somewhat anticlimactic. “Alright, I forgive you.”

Akechi tilted his head slightly, “Wha...seriously? You don't have anything else to add?”

Yusuke shook his head, “You've done no personal wrong to me, and I was affected very little by your actions against the Phantom Thieves outside of the Metaverse. To refuse your apology would do nothing for any of us, and would be quite insulting to you I’d imagine.”

Akechi blinked in surprise, “That was...much easier than I thought.”

Akira smiled and placed his hand on Akechi’s, “I told you. But you've got to remember that this was more of a practice. Yusuke has always been an easy going guy. He wouldn't hold a grudge against anyone.”

“Yes, well...I wish this would be easier the whole way through.”

Akira lowered the corner of his mouth, “It can't all be simple.” The two nodded in agreement.

Yusuke watched them interact in silence, gathering some ideas for his newest piece. But with their silence, he wouldn't have much time. He asked them a question that would hopefully keep them occupied while he sketched some ideas on the pad he had brought and provide a deeper, more intimate insight into the two’s interactions. “If I may, what exactly is the plan with these apologies? Surely you can't contact every single person who has been affected by Akechi’s actions and bring them here?”

Akechi chuckled lightly, “Of course not. Akira suggested that we start with the people we both know, namely the Phantom Thieves. If I can apologize to you all, then doing so for the whole country will seem a bit easier.”

“When you can actually get out of bed,” Akira added.

Yusuke nodded and asked a second question, “Speaking of, care to explain how you got here? When we left the Metaverse, we believed you to be dead. After all.”

Akechi’s expression turned solemn. “Yes...about that...I'm still not sure how myself. We suspect it was some...outside force but what exactly that is? We have no idea.”

“We?” the artist wondered, “You mean, Yourself and Akira?”

“Yes,” Akechi answered. “He and I have been speaking extensively for the last couple of weeks. He’s been...somewhat of a supporting force for me. He’s always been like that really.”

Yusuke squinted, trying to pick out the tiny details of the scene presented before him, “It seems you two are quite close then. An almost...inexplicably intense bond, would you say?”

Akira furrowed his brow, “I wouldn't call it that. We’ve been close since even before the coma. It’s just now...he needed someone to be there for him. It just so happened to be me.” The two boys eyes met and they smiled. Akechi turned his hand over and allowed Akira to grasp it as they had taken to doing as a comforting measure.

Yusuke put his head down to the pad as quickly as he could. He sketched out a rough outline of a figure lying on a bed and another seated next to it, their faces staring at each other. There were no intense details, as is expected of a sketch, but if one was to walk in and see the drawing, they would be able to tell exactly the subject matter of it.

With just a few more seconds, the basic shapes and details were done and Yusuke looked back up to see the two boys looking at him, accusedly.

“What are you drawing?” Akira asked, a tone of suspicion in his voice.

“You of all people should know that my art stays a secret until it has been completed,” Yusuke answered. “Now, is there anything else you wish to say? I feel like I should take my leave, while my ideas are still fresh.”

Akechi gave a quick glance at Akira and responded, “...No, I think we’re done.”

“Wonderful.” Yusuke said, standing from his chair and heading to the door. Before he exited the room, however, he had one more comment to make, “Thank you two, for providing me with the perfect material for my next piece.” With a light smile, Yusuke left the two boys to contemplate his words.

 

~~~~~

 

When Haru was asked to hang out with Akira, she never expected him to take her to a hospital. She had no business with such a place, and she doubted her companion did as well.

“What are we doing here?” she asked.

“There’s...someone I think you need to see.” Akira and the girl walked through the hospital doors and were greeted by a smiling receptionist.

“Kurusu, you've brought a new friend,” she said, tearing a sticker and handing it to Haru. “I hope she isn't the last one.”

Akira smiled, and began leading Haru towards the elevator in the waiting room, “We’ll see.” The two entered the lift, followed by Akira pressing the fifth floor button and Haru making an observation, “You seem awfully friendly with that receptionist.”

“I’d hope so, since I’m here so often.”

“What do you mean?” Haru wondered.

“Well, I am a regular visitor to someone.” The elevator sounded and the two walked out into the corridor.

“Are you being purposefully vague or just accidentally?”

Akira smirked, “A little bit of both.” They rounded a corner and made it in front of a door numbered 516. Haru watched as Akira walked through and did just the same, almost immediately regretting it. She froze just inside the room and stared, wide-eyed, at Akechi lying in a bed, twiddling his thumbs.

“Okumura...I've been...expecting your arrival,” Akechi grumbled.

Haru, at the sound of Akechi’s voice, steeled her expression. She clenched her fists and asked Akira, “Why did you bring me here.”

“Akechi has something he needs to say to you,” Akira explained, taking a seat next to Akechi. “Something he hasn't been able to since...we thought he was dead.”

“What could he possibly have to say that I would even consider listening to?” Haru was clearly in no mood to speak to the man. She had no respect for the ace detective and the fact that she was brought on false pretences to speak with him agitated her more than his presence alone would have.

“I have been speaking with Akira as of late and have come to the conclusion that I need to apologize to those I have hurt. Of the people we can easily contact, you are the one I have hurt the most.” Akechi looked at Haru, concern in his face, but she was unmoving. Her expression stayed the same.

“You want to ‘apologize’? Do you have any clue how much you have to make up for? How much you can't do with simple apologies?”

Akechi nodded, “Indeed, I do. But I am in no position to do more. I've been unconscious for the last couple of months and bed bound for the last few weeks. There is no telling when I will be able to get out of here. Giving my sincerest admission of my faults is all I can do.”

Haru still scowled but untightened her fists. She took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. She understood what the detective was saying. He couldn't do much from his hospital bed in terms of reparations. But that didn't mean she had to accept the apology as her only form of atonement.

“I see,” she said, her eyes closed. She opened them and continued, “This is all you can offer me at the moment...” Akechi sighed in relief but soon regretted it by Haru’s quick conjunction, “But...I don't accept your apology.”

Akechi’s eyes widened, “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Simply put, the pain you have put me through is something that cannot be mended by a few words. If you truly wish to make amends for the murder of my father, you will have to do more than just say you do.”

“B-but...” the detective glanced to his source of comfort, Akira.

The boy gave him a apologetic smile and replied, “It’s okay...they aren’t all going to-”

“No!” Akechi blurted, “This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Everyone else I have apologized to has accepted what I had to say. Nijima, Sakamoto, Sakura. They all were understanding.”

Haru huffed, “And so am I. But that is no reason for me to supplicate my own needs for your expectations.”

Akira reached over and placed his hand on the detective’s shoulder, “You need to understand, Goro. Saying you're sorry, no matter how much you mean it, does not always make up for everything. Sometimes it takes more, just like Haru said.”

Akechi sighed, “If that’s the case...” he turned to Haru, “What can I do for you that will be significant enough?”

Haru’s expression lightened at the request. Based on his outburst to her refusal she expected him to be as stubborn as she remembered. Not willing to compromise and instead choosing to fight to the bitter end. But something had changed him. Some outside influence that grounded him like never before.

‘ _Is it...Akira_ ?’ she thought. It made sense. He seemed to be more than just moral support for Akechi. He calmed him down, was the voice of reason for his interactions. ‘ _Of course. Who else cared about him enough to take up the task_?’ Haru for sure didn't. She was unfazed by Akechi’s supposed death, and wouldn't hesitate to call him an enemy. But Akira was the complete opposite.

There was an unspoken bond between the two. They were as close as any friends would be, which was unsurprising considering their how their personalities meshed together. They were both unpredictable and spontaneous, and had almost the exact same goal. It was how they acted on these aspects that differentiated them.

Looking at the two boys now, it was obvious that one was influencing the other. Helping the other to be more stable, teaching him how to be better, for both their sakes. ‘ _I see_...’

“Well...” Haru began, “...I can't answer that right now.”

“What do you mean?” Akechi wondered.

“You being stuck in a bed is the big reason why. I have no idea how long you’ll be here, and I don't know how you will have changed when you are finally independent again. This has led me to the conclusion that...we’ll have to wait and see.” Haru hadn't moved much since she entered the room, and she had no desire to be all that close to Akechi anyway. She bowed slightly and said, “I appreciate you bringing me here, Akira, but I’d like to come back on my own terms next time.”

She saw Akechi make a gesture as if to begin a plea for her to stay, but he was stopped by a pat on his arm by Akira. Haru smiled, and turned around, about to exit the room when she made one final thought, “Akechi...listen to Akira. He’ll help you...just as he did me.”

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original plan was to have Akechi apologize to every single Phantom Thief but that turned out to be too repetitive and way too long.  
> I chose to go with the first and last apologies, and I think it works great.


	5. Meant to Be Yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _You left me and I fell apart_
> 
> _I punched the wall and cried_
> 
> _Then I found you, changed my heart_
> 
> _And set loose all that truthful shit inside_
> 
> _Please don't leave me alone_
> 
> _You were all I could trust_
> 
> _I can't do this alone_
> 
>  
> 
> _I was meant to be yours_

* * *

  

Akechi had lost track of time.

He decided, pretty much the day he woke up, that he wouldn't keep track of how long he was hospitalized. He knew it would just make him feel worse. He even requested that his nurse keep that information to the official records only. The only source of timekeeping he had was the occasional holiday.

He was sure Akira was quite the opposite. If he had been making sure to visit him every other day there was no way he wasn't keeping track. He could learn how long he’d been there if he just asked, but he never felt the need to. He was content living in ignorance. Especially that day.

Since he regained consciousness his doctor, Dr. Hisakawa, had set up physical therapy appointments in the early afternoon. It stuck to usual range of motion exercises only in his bed and he had promised that eventually they would try and bring him up out of bed. Standing.

Akechi was able to sit up in the bed without the use of the bed’s lifting mechanism and he could move his arms and legs relatively well. But standing? He never believed he’d be able to do that again. His muscles had strengthened since he woke up, but they were still smaller than they were before his coma. He felt that whatever his doctor suggested was almost impossible.

Every once and awhile, Akira would show up before, or during his therapy, but it was usually after. Because he wasn't technically family, only a friend, all the information on Akechi’s status and activities was in the hands of the detective. Akechi usually kept it to himself, feeling Akira could figure out what was going on just by watching and being his moral support.

All this meant that the Phantom Thief was unaware of the doctor’s plan. He wished he could keep it that way. Akechi was nothing if not secretive. But Hisakawa had urged him to do the therapy with someone he trusted. Someone he could lean on, both figuratively and metaphorically, He had always made it a point to explain the importance of having a support system, one that consisted of his doctors, nurses, family, and friends. Of all of those, there was perhaps only one person per category, making the ‘system’ quite small.

Hisakawa was the only doctor he had ever had that seemed to genuinely care for his health. Most other ones were too focused on getting through the day than actually helping, it was a breath of fresh air to see something different.

Ikeda was as skilled with nursing as she was with being personable, something a past version of Akechi might have despised. Now, as he was humbled by Akira, and by his very condition, she grew on him, becoming as helpful as he expected, sometimes even more.

Akechi’s family situation was complex. His mother was no longer in the picture, and his father was...despicable to say the least. But despite that, there was one person he considered to be family, someone who he modeled himself after and respected. That was Sae Nijima of course. She was one of the few positive influences on the detective, better than any other adults he knew.

And that left the final part, friends. Akechi’s friends were always few and far between to nonexistent entirely. Whether it was more his naturally intimidating aura or his antisocial tendencies was unknown, but they both played a part in it. Add onto the fact that he became a minor celebrity which brought attention he didn't want, accolades he didn't like, and made him seem less approachable.

He never let anyone know these truths however. He was good at playing a crowd, good at convincing them he was just as normal as them, even if he was damaged and fighting on the inside. And then Akira showed his face.

That guy turned everything on its head. He was a wild card, unpredictable. It’s why when he went to Leblanc, he never expected him to bother attempting any sort of connection. How were the two going to bond over a coffee shop anyway? He never intended for it to be more than a place to contemplate his machinations, a place to manipulate. Then the detective started making contact outside the shop. Originally it was a way to get information, but it slowly devolved into short, friendly conversations. He took a liking to Akira, partly because of his naivete and the other for being almost the same as him, at least at a surface level.

The very idea that he had managed to become friends with him was astonishing so much so that Akechi would often find himself going down the same spiral of thought, trying to piece together what could have possibly occurred to allow the two to become acquainted. He knew the answer.

Akira was the first person to treat him as more than an untouchable celebrity. More than an intimidating charismatic. More than a child. He treated him as an equal, just as deserving of basic kindness as anyone else. He didn't take to judging him based on assumptions made by others. He took to waiting until they met to do such a thing. He spent time getting to know the detective, something no one in his life had decided to do, and that had made all the difference. It was that fact that put him in a situation he could never get back from.

Akechi was never good at understanding himself internally. Emotions were one of the few things his personal knowledge was lacking detail in. Sure, he could fake them, at least come off as if he felt something, but inside it was much more complex. The way Akira treated him did nothing else but complicate things even more.

Akechi didn’t know what Love was. He didn’t know how it was supposed to feel. He had seen how people acted in public, in movies and tv shows, in novels, but no amount of attempting to understand it allowed him to see it in a clearer light. He was blind, completely blind to it in all respects. Which is why when he started to feel something for the Phantom Thief that he began to wonder, and worry quite a bit about.

There was a heaviness on his heart, as if something was pushing down in it, like gravity trying its best to pull it down to Earth’s core. When Akira would show up in his room there was a sense of relief from this pressure, replaced by an entirely new feeling. His heart rate wouldn’t go up, but he could tell it wasn’t beating entirely properly. The blood from his toes and fingers would rush to his head, causing him to briefly forget what was being asked of him, followed by him stumbling to find an answer. Akira thought this funny, making Akechi feel a third emotion he wasn’t sure how to classify. He would feel an intense need to look away or downward, and the blood from his head flew instead into his face, heating it up. Then Akira would leave for the day, having some other function to be at or help Sojiro at the cafe or a whole number of things, and when he did the tugging on his heart returned. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling and the only reason he was able to figure it out was because of nurse Ikeda.

“Ikeda,” Akechi asked one morning while in his bed. “I’ve got a question for you.”

“Shoot,” she said looking at a machine that was measuring the detective’s heart beat, blood pressure, and some other things.

“I...there’s something going on with me that I’m having trouble understanding.”

The nurse raised an eyebrow, “Can you be a little less vague? I can’t really help you if you don’t give me details.”

Akechi sighed, “I have this feeling in my...heart? I think, that...I don’t know, it’s as if someone is pulling down on it.”

Ikeda briefly looked up at the machine, seeming to understand slightly. “I see...tell me, when does this...sensation go away?”

“Whenever Akira shows up, and when he leaves it comes back.”

The nurse smirked, “And how do you feel when he’s here?”

“I don’t...I guess...lighter? Like that tugging is gone and my heart is free as it should be. Sometimes I’ll get a sudden burst of blood to my head and I’ll just...”

Ikeda was smiling, checking the machine and jotting something on a paper she pulled from her pocket. She stepped over to Akechi, removed the cuff in his arm and sat at his side. “I know exactly what’s the matter,”

“So something’s wrong with me?”

“Not at all. You’re just like everyone else really. See, what you’re feeling isn’t caused by any medical issue. It’s actually something psychological.”

Akechi felt the blood drain from his extremities. He had heard many a physician or person talk about his mental state, almost never in a favorable way. He had cause to feel nervous but no real reason for it. Ikeda has already said what he felt was normal, meaning the chances of it being negative were small. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling she was about to drop a bombshell, one the detective was not prepared for.

“You’re not broken just experiencing...love,” she explained.

“Love...?” Akechi had no clue how to deal with that information. He was expecting something bad but instead he got something confusing, something he didn’t ask for.

“Yep,” the nurse continued, “all the things you just said about Akira are almost identical to what I felt before me and my boyfriend were officially together. The tugging you feel is longing, a want, bordering on need, to be close to someone, in this case Akira.”

Akechi had no response. How was one to follow being told they were in love? With doubt? Anger? Happiness? Not that the detective would be able to do any of those things. He was still confused about the whole situation.

After a few seconds of silence, Akechi asked, “How...how do I deal with it then?”

Ikeda giggled slightly, “You don't really. Unless he feels the same way, you...might never.”

Akechi replayed those words over and over since the two had the conversation. ‘ _Unless he feels the same way_ ’. Did Akira feel the same things Akechi did? Was there any way to tell? The detective had to accept that there wasn't one. Not without diving into the Phantom Thief’s brain and searching. But with the Metaverse gone, there was no way to do such a thing. Not that Akira would even have a palace in the first place. Any desires he had weren’t as twisted as those they had encountered.

But this never stopped Akechi from thinking about it. As with everything, there was a chance their feelings were mutual, but unless he asked directly he would never know, and the detective didn't plan to ask any time in the near future. Just as with his therapy plans, he decided to keep it a secret.

The day dragged on, and soon, it was time. Doctor Hisakawa walked in, nurse Ikeda by his side, holding what looked to be a fabric belt, and Noriko just behind, pushing an empty wheelchair.

“What is this? A farewell gathering?” Akechi joked.

Hisakawa chuckled, “If you wish to see it that way. Figuratively speaking today is the day you say goodbye to the old, less physical, you and say hello to a new one.” Akechi gave a weak smile, causing the doctor to do the same. “Normally it would only be these two,” Hisakawa gestured to the nurse and her assistant, “but I decided to join, considering this will be your first time walking in-” He cut himself off, seeming to remember what Akechi had requested of him. He cleared his throat and continued, “Now, we won't be pushing you to do more than you’re able. We have the gait belt if you lose your balance, a walker outside for you to lean on, and this wheelchair for when you get tired.”

Doctor Hisakawa moved away from his place, allowing the nurse assistant to wheel the chair up to the side of Akechi’s bed. Ikeda walked just behind and scooted around the seat to place herself right on the detective’s side. “Sit up for me?” she both suggested and asked. Akechi did just that, leaning forward and, with a quick gesture from his nurse, turning to the side of the bed. He wasn’t the quickest about it, but he was able to get in position, with a little guidance from Ikeda.

She took the belt she was holding and pulled it around the detective’s waist, tightening it. She gripped it with both hands, each just behind Akechi’s hips. “Ready?” The nurse asked, a tinge of worry in her voice.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Akechi responded, grabbing Ikeda’s shoulders. Said nurse nodded and counted down from three. When she reached one she pulled the young detective from his seated position on the bed with seemingly no effort. Within a few seconds he was seated back down again, now in the wheelchair.

Ikeda exhaled, “Easy.” The nurse squatted down and pulled a pair of slippers from underneath the bed, one’s Akechi was never aware of. She placed them into his feet and stood back up, smiling. “Now comes the fun part.”

Before the ace detective could ask what exactly she meant Noriko was already wheeling him out of his room and into the hallway. She stopped right outside his door, turning the chair to face down the right corridor. Placed right outside the door frame was a collapsed metal walker, one Ikeda immediately lifted from its place and opened. She put the walker right in front of Akechi and tapped in its handles in what seemed to be a signal for him to grab on. The detective did so, extending his arms out a bit.

Akechi was about ready to stand, but something was holding him back, something he wasn’t quite able to figure out. As if reading his mind, Ikeda and Noriko each grabbed onto one side of the belt, the former explaining, “We’re gonna help you up, okay? Just do your best to stand on your own.” With another count from three, the two health care professionals pulled on the belt, causing Akechi to instinctively lean forward and push his legs up. With some extra force from his assistants, the detective was plantigrade, standing on his two feet and leaning on the metal bars of the walker.

Ikeda inhaled sharply, and grabbed onto the back of the belt, placing herself behind Akechi but slightly off center. Noriko let go of her side and went behind the chair pulling it back some to allow Ikeda room to adjust. “Alright,” The nurse exhaled, “just...take your time. No need to rush here. If you need a rest just say.”

Akechi was glad to have the encouragement but he wasn’t sure how to get started. He hadn’t made use of his legs in this manner in so long, he felt as if he forgot how to completely. The walker was also an unknown, considering he had never needed to use one up until that point. But with a brief examination, mainly making note of the wheels, he assumed all he had to do was push it forward slightly, followed by lifting his legs in the same direction, and so forth. It was intuitive enough really, which allowed him to actually start moving, making his first step for the first time since his run in with the Phantom Thieves in his father’s palace. He watched as his foot and leg slowly lifted, in awe at his rediscovered ability.

When his foot made contact with the ground a second time, he could feel Ikeda’s knuckles move slightly on his back, her grip in the belt tightening. Akechi took this as a sign to make another step. He stared at the motion of his leg, the muscles in it quivering slightly. His slippered foot hit the ground, and he pushed forward in the walker again. Lifted one of his legs again, placing it on the ground, lifting the other leg, putting it down.

He did this twice more, his body aching slightly more with each additional time, but he didn’t care. The fact that he had finally ambulated, finally walked even the slightest bit, filled him with a sense of accomplishment. “I...I think I’m done,” he said in a hushed tone to Ikeda. The nurse stepped to the side to allow Noriko to push the chair towards Akechi’s legs. Once the seat hit the back of his legs, the detective immediately felt the urge to sit back down, his weak legs feeling like mush. The nurse rushed to his side, the one opposite Ikeda, and grabbed the belt. Slowly, the two lowered Akechi down into the chair, the boy never looking up from his legs. He took deep breaths, bringing oxygen into his bloodstream to calm his shaking muscles.

“A-Akechi,” The nurse sounded as if about to cry. The thought of her crying over him made the detective feel strange. Happiness towards his accomplishments was never a common occurrence, which deterred him from looking up at her. He didn’t say a word, unaware of what he could possibly say. A few moments of silence passed and a hand was placed on his shoulder, a firm one he recognized as belonging to Hisakawa.

“You might wanna look up, son,” the doctor suggested. Akechi, despite seeming reluctant to a few seconds prior, was more willing to after being prompted by his physician. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t crying, or the fact that he sounded calm and collected, but whatever the case the detective slowly lifted his head. He was planning on turning it all the way up to look at the medical professionals behind him but about halfway through, his head stopped. He looked straight down the hallway and saw a figure at the very end, a teenager, no older than he was, black hair draped slightly over his face, a pair of fashion glasses under tear-filled eyes.

“Goro...” was all that escaped the boys mouth before he ran down the hallway, pushing the walker out of his way and falling to his knees at the detective’s feet. The teen he recognized as Akira balled some of Akechi’s gown in his fists, doing his best to avoid scratching his thighs with his fingernails. “I...you...” he whispered, the tears becoming too much for him to hold back.

The detective was shocked, stunned by the fact that Akira had showed up to the hospital at all. While he hadn't been counting days, he had been keeping track of when his friend would come and visit and unless he somehow missed a day, he could have sworn the Phantom Thief shouldn't have been there. ‘ _I’ll visit every other day,_ ’ he had said and his memories showed that Akira had last been at the hospital the day prior. What reason did he have to be there now?

“Yes...” the detective said. “I guess I have.” Those words spurred the Phantom Thief to drop his head into Akechi’s lap, soaking his gown with tears.

“I’m just...so happy,” Akira’s voice muffled by the fabric. The young detective placed one of his hands in his black locks, moving it in a rhythmic motion in hopes it would calm him down.

Akechi smiled, “I am too.” The two were unmoving until the crying subsided enough at which point Akechi piped up, “I'm...grateful to have you here Akira but...might I know what the reasoning behind going off your schedule was?”

Akira lifted his head up, removing his now tear-stained glasses, and wiping his face. He answered the question as he was bringing himself off the ground. “I just...I needed to tell you something,” the teen sniffled, “Something I’ve had on my mind for a while now.”

“Are you going to elaborate?” the detective asked with a smile.

Akira chuckled, his throat quivering slightly, “Of course but...I’d prefer to do it somewhere private.” The Phantom Thief looked at the medical professionals that surrounded the teen. They all got the idea and allowed Akira to take control of the wheelchair. With a bit of effort, the chair was turned back towards Akechi’s door, showing that he had walked only a few feet from his room. Knowing this filled the patient with a feeling of disappointment but slight excitement.

As the two boys crossed through the precipice of Akechi’s room, said teen briefly glanced behind him. For as short as it was, it still meant something to him. He saw Hisakawa, arms crossed, with a smile a father might give to his son. He saw Noriko, hands behind her back, staring at the detective like someone might at a long lost friend. And he noticed Ikeda, a grin plastered to her face, a smugness underneath but still being somewhat comforting.

Looking away, he had a realization. These people, his caregivers, ones he would have despised in the past, ones he originally considered awful, for lack of a better word, were now some of the closest people in his life. He wouldn't be at where he was at that moment without them, and this wasn't lost on Akechi. He was grateful to have a tight knit group that was willing to support him and care for him no matter who he was.

He had, not only them but, Akira, the greatest and only friend Akechi had ever known. A guy he used to hate for being as approachable as he was. For being a decent person. For being there at his lowest and sticking by him. For making him fall in love for the first time, allowing him to experience something he never thought he was capable of.

Whether or not he was leaving this hospital standing didn't matter anymore. This day, this moment, was a turning point, the beginning of a new chapter in Akechi’s life. One where he wouldn't be held back by others expectations. One where he had people who cared for, worried for, and helped him. He was glad to be leaving behind an old persona, someone he wished he could forget about. A shadow, tainted by his, still healing, psyche. And Akira was the one to start the process.

The two of them had an inexplicable bond, one only the gods could have created. A bond that, he felt, would keep them together until one disappeared. The two were just fools doing their best to survive and make the world a better place. Two souls tied up together in the tangled web that was existence, neither one wishing to break free of the other. Two wildcards tossed out by society and brought back up only with their alike natures.

The two teenagers destined to be with each other.

 

* * *

 


	6. Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Let’s be normal. See bad movies _ __  
>  _ Sneak a beer and watch TV. _ __  
>  _ We'll bake brownies,  _ __  
>  _ or go bowling _ _  
>  _ __ Don't you want a life with me?
> 
> _ Can't we be seventeen? _
> 
> _ Is that so hard to do? _ __  
>  _ If you could let me in. _ __  
>  _ I could be good with you. _ __  
>  _ Let us be seventeen, _ _  
>  _ __ If we've still got the right.

* * *

 

Akira had a habit of remembering things that didn’t matter at the most inopportune times.

Here he was lying in a bed in Leblanc’s attic next to Akechi, who happened to be asleep, when a thought came to him for no real reason. ‘ _I’m not supposed to still be here_.’

He was supposed to leave a few months after Akechi awoke from his coma. He was supposed to go back home to his parents and forget the life he lived in Yongen. He was supposed to be miles away from him, trying his best to get his old life back. But he wasn't. He didn't.

 

A few weeks before his planned departure he was stopped by Sojiro in the cafe. He was about to exit with the well known jingle of the doors bell when his guardian called out to him.

“Hey...before you go, I've got to tell you something.”

Akira turned away from the door and placed himself in one of the stools closest to it. He put his head in the palm of his hand and asked, “What do you need?”

Sojiro cleared his throat. “I got a call yesterday...from your parents...” Akira knew what this conversation was going to be about almost instantly.

“...Oh...”

“They wanted me to make sure you didn't forget about the date you’re supposed to leave. I told them I would do my best so...you have about two weeks.”

Akira could feel the sense of dread when he realized...no, remembered this fact. He had two weeks to say goodbye to all his friends. Two weeks to travel around Tokyo before he’d have to wait for his next vacation. Two weeks to stay with Akechi. He didn't want that to be the case, he wanted to stay for as long as possible, forever really. But there was no way for him to arrange that. He was a minor and his parents had jurisdiction over where he went and when. There was no way for him to escape this scenario and he was frustrated. He pounded the countertop with his fist, showing anger he rarely let loose, startling Sojiro slightly.

“Akira, calm down. You still have time to-”

“Please...don't...” was all the teen managed to let out. Of all the things he would have to leave behind, he was most angered by the reality of having to leave Akechi. The detective was in no position, both physically and mentally, to see him go. His other friends were able to see him off, they understood how to deal with their emotions enough to not let them get out of hand. Akechi wasn't either of these things. He wouldn't be able to handle parting with his only friend. The only person that understood him and didn't judge. The person he needed care from.

Sojiro wasn't aware of any of this, but Akira’s outburst was the first thing that started him wondering. “Akira, are you...doing okay?”

Akira sighed, “Y-yes...I’m fine.”

“You sure? Because you didn't seem to be a few seconds ago. I know this place has grown on you but I don't think that’s any reason to get angry. Is there...something going on you want to tell me about?”

He wanted to tell Sojiro about Akechi, about where he was going off to every afternoon, about how Akechi needed him. But he knew how he would react to hearing anything involving the ace detective. The man had shown some disdain for him after finding out his plan to murder the Phantom Thief, which was understandable. But Akira didn't want him to become suddenly protective. He didn't want the cafe owner to restrict his access to the one person that needed him the most. It’s why he wanted to keep it a secret. The smaller the number of people that knew about it the better.

“Come on kid. I can tell just by the look on your face you've got something on your mind,” Sojiro smiled lightly, just as he always did.

The more Akira thought about it however, the more he began to consider his worries may be unfounded. Sae was put in a similar situation as Sojiro had, she was even closer to the detective than he was, yet she was willing to help in whatever ways she could. She was willing to put his troublesome behavior aside and focusing on help, even if some part of her told her not to. Who’s to say Sojiro wouldn't react in a similar way? It was an unknown, a risk he’d be taking if he did such a thing. Which is why it surprised himself when he let out a few words that he tried earlier to suppress.

“I...I do, actually...”

“Then don't let me stop you. Go ahead.”

There was a slight problem. He had no idea how to start explaining what was going through his mind. There was so much that figuring out a good enough starting point was an impossible feat. He could simply start with the person causing his mind to act like it did. He could explain just how complex his situation was. Hell, he could just lie to his face and Sojiro might buy it. None of these seemed good enough however, so the teen went with a slightly different alternative, one that involved being vague for a short while.

“There’s...one of my friends is in the hospital.” His guardian’s face contorted into one of concern.

“Oh god, which one? It isn't Ann is it?”

“No, it wasn't her. It was...” he was hesitant to finish the sentence but he was too far gone to end it there. He took a deep breath and said, “...Akechi...he wasn't...isn't dead...he was in a coma...” Sojiro stared at the teen blankly, blinking every few seconds.

Just as the silence became unbearable, he said quite softly, “I...see...” A few more moments passed with neither of them saying anything, until Sojiro asked, “So...you're still friends with him even after he tried to kill you? Even after he tried to pin his crimes on the Phantom Thieves?”

“It’s...complicated...”

“So you aren't friends?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant. Our relationship is just...there's more to it than our rivalry. It goes deeper than that. It’s...”

Sojiro crossed his arms, seeming to be unimpressed. “Care to elaborate on that?”

Akira sighed. He pushed some of his hair out of his face and continued, “I know you only saw him as arrogant, but I saw him for who he truly was. He was broken and misguided, treated like garbage by everyone when he was growing up. He had to lie to get where he did, pretend he was like everyone else, and after a while, he became popular. I know it looked like he was enjoying the spotlight but he wasn't. He hated it, and still does. But he pushed through it, thinking it was the only way to get what he wanted.

Then he got into the Metaverse and he saw a new path to achieving his goals. Then the Phantom Thieves showed up and made things more complicated. He thought we were his enemy and he treated us like ones, at least in secret. After a few interactions, and a bit of investigating, he realized that we could be useful to him. That’s when he started coming here. That’s when we became friends. I had no way of knowing who he was really, but that wasn't my plan. I just wanted to treat him like any other. He deserved it as far as I was aware.

Then the betrayal and...to be honest it hurt a bit. I thought I could trust him, after all he trusted me just the same, but he broke that. I learned later that he didn't do it out of necessity either. He did it out of fear. He didn't want us to succeed because he knew we would get in his way eventually. He sold me out because he needed someone to blame, and that someone had to be a threat. He tried to kill me because...it made it easier to separate his true feelings, his true self.

Our final confrontation made this very clear as well. After he was defeated and Shido’s cognitive version of him was revealed, he realized he was misled. After listening to us, the Phantom Thieves, and what we had to say about how he truly felt, he understood that he was in need of help. Then, another realization came to him. We were one in the same. Our goals were the same, and he just refused to see them as such. He needed an enemy and we were the first to fit the bill. He took control of his emotions for the first time and sacrificed himself for us, knowing that it was the only way.

He didn't actually die though, just went into a coma. When he woke up, he remembered all of this and is now trying his best to fix all that he’s broken. He needs someone to help him, and the only person that can do that is me. I'm the only one that understands him, that has always treated him like a person. I’m the only one that cares for him.” Akira smacked his lips, feeling the dryness in his mouth for talking so much. It wasn't planned, and yet he somehow managed to form his thoughts in such a way that Sojiro seemed almost impressed.

Said man put his hands on his hips, looked at his shoes, and sighed, “I see. I didn't realize how much he means to you.” He lifted his head back up, the small upturning of his lips still present. “Is that why you were a bit angry then?”

Akira nodded, “I just...I don't want to have to leave him to deal with all of that alone. Not anymore. He deserves more than that.”

Sojiro smiled, “Well...there isn't much I can do about that but...I will talk to your parents. Maybe they’ll be more sympathetic to you staying if they knew you were looking after a friend.”

Akira felt a weight off his shoulders at hearing that. “Y-you mean...?”

Sojiro smirked, “I do. I’ll let you stay here as long as your parents are okay with it.”

The Phantom Thief audibly exhaled, “I...I don't know what to say.”

“Don't say anything. I know what it must be like for you. I don't think leaving would be good for either of you. Trust me...I would know.” Akira smiled, causing the cafe owner to chuckle lightly.

As the teen was about to stand back up from his stool, a ding from the door’s bell sounded throughout the small space of the cafe. Akira turned to his right to see just who had made the noise. In the doorway stood Yusuke dragging, what he assumed to be, a painting under a white sheet with a device normally used to carry luggage.

“Ah, hey Yusuke,” Akira greeted.

“Good afternoon Akira, and you as well Boss.”

“What brings you here?” Sojiro questioned. “You plan on painting something?”

Yusuke smirked, “Quite the opposite actually. The painting I have here is quite finished. I am merely here to present it to you, Akira. It was partially you that inspired this piece, after all.”

“Partially?” Akira wondered. He wasn't even aware that Yusuke had made a painting for him. Unless...

“Yes, partially. The other to influence this work is Akechi. Remember when you brought me to the hospital so that he may apologize? Well, it was during that time that I-”

“Yeah, I remember. No need to explain it again.” Akira stood up, making his way in front of the artist. “So are you going to show me it?”

“Soon. But I'd first like to choose the most ideal place for it in your room, if you don't mind.” Yusuke had already began walking towards the stairs of the attic, unaware of the looks being given to him by both Akira and Sojiro, both of them amused by his behavior.

“Sure,” Akira responded, “why not.”

 

The painting now hung above the couch in Akira’s room, in plane view from where he was lying in his bed. It had been there for quite some time, unmoving since Yusuke had insisted it be placed there. The early morning light that came from the window illuminated it in such a way that the colors and figures danced in interesting ways.

The piece at first glance seemed abstract, but with further examining one was able to make out certain things, especially if one was familiar with the subject matter. Two silhouettes of faces one near the bottom and another at the top, the top one lying in the crook of the other’s neck filling in any negative space. Each head was filled with a certain color palette, as well as a design. The lower one consisted of white and black stripes that were almost waves across the canvas. The above face was filled with red and black feather-like patterns, appearing to be similar to flames, emanating from no specific area and flowing in no one direction. In some places the two patterns merged slightly, creating a sense of connection between the figures. Adding to this was a stylised metal chain seeming to tie them together.

The longer he stared, the more Akira began to realize about the painting, especially involving the meaning of it. Yusuke had said that unlike most of his paintings, this one’s meaning was superficial. It wouldn't require Akira to be an art critic to understand the meaning of it. It didn't detract from it in the slightest. He, and Akechi, both enjoyed the piece, as it brought forth parts of them they had lost quite some time ago. The two of them would often look at it and remember all they had to go through to grasp what Yusuke was trying to say, making it that much more meaningful.

The two of them were far from perfect. They were trampled on by society. Treated terrible for no other reason than being different. They both had problems that originated from their pasts, ones they did their best to avoid talking about, ones beyond their control.  
Even so, there was still more, damage caused by their actions, no longer out of their hands. Being Phantom Thieves, doing the dirty work of a politician, only caused them more problems.  
The uniqueness of their situations made them believe that they were smarter than everyone, better, worthy of special treatment. Of course, Akira believed these things yet understood the likelihood of getting anywhere near them was extremely low, and for someone of his nature, impossible. The treatment of the Phantom Thieves at the very beginning only solidified this for him. Akechi however was never aware of this. He had a grandiose sense of self that eventually led to his downfall. He believed that he was the sole person to decide who was worthy of dying, and when he did decide it was always by his hand, all for his own selfish reasons. It took someone close to him, someone who understood, to bring him to reality, that being the simple truth that no one person should choose who lives or dies.

In the end, whether or not they wanted to believe it, Akira and Akechi were connected by personality, belief, and perhaps forces out of their control. That was the real meaning behind the painting. When told by Akira that it seemed way deeper than Yusuke was making it out to be, the artist simply scoffed providing no further insight.  
Akira smiled, lifting his head up slightly, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He looked at Akechi, who stirred in his sleep, most likely due to the Phantom Thief’s movements. He stared at his sleeping face and was inundated with more memories, this time of the first week since his coma that Akechi was free from the hospital.

 

The first hour after leaving the hospital doors, Akira was already suggesting things for the two of them to do, things that any normal teenager would like to do. Anything that might allow them to forget their troubles and instead focus on themselves. “Why don’t we just see a movie?” Akechi contributing to Akira’s endless flow of ideas. He seemed to enjoy is as he grabbed the detective’s hand with a smile and pulled him towards the station.Akira couldn't really remember what they went to see. It was too long ago for him to even really care. All that mattered to him was that Akechi was happy and entertained.

His thoughts wandered once more to a later memory.  
“Akira...I know this isn't really a fair question but I have to know...what are you still doing here? In Yongen I mean.” The two, Akira and Akechi, were in Leblanc, Akira cooking something in the small kitchen and Akechi sitting at a stool, sipping some coffee the other had made for him.

Akira wiped his hands on a dish rag and turned to the one seated. “What do you mean? Can't I just like being in this city enough to live here?”

Akechi smirked, “Of course you can. But isn't there another reason you'd be here? Weren't you supposed to go back to your parents once I was out of that hospital?”

“Yeah, I was,” the boy responded quite nonchalantly.

“Then why haven't you? Don't you think they would be angry at you for not returning?”

Akira chuckled, “You do realize I don't need to listen to what they tell me now, right? That’s kind of what being an adult constitutes. Not only that but I want to be wherever you are, and I doubt you'd want to go to my hometown.”

“You never even asked me before.”

“Do you want to then?”

Akechi, with a straight face, responded, “No, not really.”

Akira giggled, followed by him wondering, “Speaking of staying here, now I want to know why you haven't left. You've still got your money and all, right?”

Akechi nodded, “It’s quite a simple answer really. During my time in that hospital I learned that you kept me grounded. Without you there is no way I’d be standing here right now in my current mental state. It is for that reason that I...wanted to stay with you.”

“I guess we really are the same,” Akira joked, making his way towards Akechi. He placed their hands in one another’s, resting them on the counter. “I’m sure Sojiro wouldn't mind...as long as you paid rent.” The two laughed together and began leaning into each other, a kiss imminent. Unfortunately, they were interrupted by a jingle from the door and someone clearing their throat.

“You're lucky I wasn't a customer, or else I would have complained to the manager about PDA.”

“Sorry, Sojiro,” Akira apologized.

The cafe owner sighed, “I get that you two are dating but can you keep your affections to a minimum in my store? Some of my customers are...quite vocal about their objections to...whatever it is you do and I’d hate to lose a regular over something as...what’s the word...?”

“Inconsequential?” Akechi suggested.

“Sure. Something as inconsequential as who you decide to date. Understood?”

“Understood,” Akira rolled his eyes, and pulled his hands back. He stared into Akechi’s eyes, admiring them for as long as possible before realizing he was reminiscing.

 

Akechi must have awoken while the teen was enjoying his memories, for as soon as Akira was out of his stupor, the detective was staring back, a soft expression on his face. “Enjoying the view?” he asked, in a sleepy tone. It was a rhetorical question, so he wasn't surprised when Akira didn't respond and instead turned his head away, a blush forming in his cheeks. “Don't stop looking in my eyes just because I caught you.”

Akira, in embarrassment, fell back on his pillow, covering his eyes with his arm. Akechi exhaled and shuffled slightly so that he was pressed against Akira’s side, draping his arm over his chest. “You know...” the detective began, “you never really told me what made you interested in me.”

Akira, face still flushed, answered, “Does it really matter anymore? Shouldn't the fact that I want a life with you be enough?”

Akechi chuckled, “I guess it should...as long as I’m what you've chosen, who am I to worry about something so trivial.”

The two enjoyed each other’s warmth for a few minutes, before it was time for them to get the day started. Neither wanted to be the first up, but it had to be one of them eventually. Akira was the first to sit up fully, stretching his arms and legs, before slowly making his way off the bed. He walked over to where he stored his clothing, turning around to Akechi right before he pulled anything out. The detective’s eyes were still closed, but he was awake. Akira smiled, a thought going through his head right before Akechi opened his eyes a second time that morning.

‘ _You are the one I choose_.’

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this little thing I put together. I know I did. Thanks to those that have supported this project by simply taking the time to read it. special thanks to those that provided me with information (specifically c-a-f) as they allowed my story to be better. Without them, it wouldn't be the way it is now.  
> I might consider writing another musical related thing like this one, as I did enjoy that a lot, and I'll for sure write another P5 oriented fic. Can't promise it'll be Akeshu as I do have more than one Akira-centric ship. We'll have to wait and see either way.
> 
> Well...Not much left to say other than that.
> 
> See you later, I guess? This won't be the last of me.

**Author's Note:**

> There is no set schedule for updates (sorry) which means this will get updated when the next part gets finished.  
> I had a wonderful time writing it so this won't be forgotten, not by a long shot.  
> Also, the rating might change as the story goes on. Most likely the highest it'll will be Teen and Up.
> 
> Again, I cant thank c-a-f enough. For being so helpful they deserve to at least be listened to.


End file.
